dhoni

Press reactions to Dhoni’s bantering with Samuel Ferris

The Indian media appears miffed with MS Dhoni’s antics with an Australian journalist who had the ‘insolence’ to ask him the dreaded ‘R’ question.

From the video, it’s obvious the talismanic skipper took the loss to Windies to heart and felt that joking around would take out some of the sting.

The ploy backfired and how.

Suveen Sinha for Hindustan Times wrote:

“When did retirement become about fitness, or even ability? Many cricket players left the game with a triumphant show in their last game. The most recent example is New Zealand’s Brendon McCullum. But for the most telling instance, look no further than Sunil Gavaskar.

Gavaskar’s last Test innings, in which he scored 96 in a losing cause against Pakistan on a snake pit of a pitch, was a true masterclass — a great affair with batting perfection, unlike the brief T20 flings that get talked up these days.

Till the end Gavaskar embodied unthinkable ability, temperament, concentration, technique, and understanding of the pitch, bowling, and match situation. Hell, he even mastered the one-day game at the end of his career, a format he abhorred in the beginning. Yet he kept his date with retirement.”

Vedam Jaishankar for FirstPost  responded thus:

“Dhoni mistakenly believed that journalists had to react like fans to every situation. He probably did not realise that fans are expected to be fanatical and most forgiving of the follies of their heroes. Their love and hero-worship could withstand the most horrendous of mistakes or transgressions. Unfortunately that is not how a professional journalist works. He is expected to be a lot more detached, objective and even critical where required. Now that’s the grey area ‘heroes’ don’t understand.”

Samuel Ferris, the offending reporter, was much more circumspect in his description of the incident.

He said:

“For the record, I never asked if he was going to retire, just how keen he was to play on. I’m not trying to retire one of the greats.

I even prefaced it with ‘You’ve achieved pretty much everything in cricket’ to soften the blow and try to make me not look like some blood-thirsty mosquito looking for a headline (which I most definitely was).

Then he smiles and asks if I can repeat it. Great, I mumbled. I pony up again and ask, and instead of an answer I get an invitation.

An invitation to come join him on stage. At first I politely decline, but he insists.

Who am I to turn down India’s greatest-ever captain?

I’m welcomed with a warm embrace, a sympathetic arm around my shoulder and a crisp white smile, the same smile I’ve seen on a dozen commercials featuring Dhoni on Indian television selling a vast range of products.”

We all know what happened next.

All said, the question won’t go away until Team India starts winning again or Dhoni actually quits.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni: What he said, really meant and definitely did not

What he said:

“In principle, I’m okay with the brain mapping, but not if needles are poked everywhere.”

Mahendra Singh Dhoni is fine with IIM, Ranchi, mapping his cricketing brain to decipher the ‘reasons’ behind Team India’s World Cup triumph.

What he really meant:

“The mapping should be painless. What if they poke the wrong nerve?”

What he definitely didn’t:

“After succumbing to  pressure (India lost it’s World No.1 ranking)  and suffering a fractured ego, do you really think I want to submit myself to acupressure or acupuncture, in whatever guise?”

Mahendra Singh Dhoni: What he said, really meant and definitely did not

What he said:

"We have not been sleeping so we don’t need a wake-up call."

Mahendra Singh Dhoni retains his sense of humour in responding to a question whether the 3-0 series scoreline is a wake-up call.

What he really meant:

“Actually, the boys are groggy from lack of sleep.IPL partying, West Indian discos and charity dinners kept them on their toes.”

What he definitely didn’t:

“Motion sickness? Oh, yes, we’re going through the motions and our fans are sick.”

Kapil Dev: What he said, really meant and definitely did not

What he said:

“Everybody go ga ga about Sachin Tendulkar that ‘I learn from him and so on’. If you ask Virender Sehwag who is your guru he will say Sachin. If you ask Yuvraj, he will say Sachin. But I have never seen Sehwag or Sachin or Laxman, with their bundle of experience in batting, walking up to the bowlers to advise them the correct line to bowl.”

Kapil Dev Nikhanj is certain that the youngsters merely pay lip service tributes to the seniors in the side. The former Indian captain does not see the desired team spirit on the field.

What he really meant:

“If the bowlers keep repeating their mistakes and no one corrects them on the field, will they not continue in the same vein?”

What he definitely didn’t:

“What I really advocate is on-field coaching with microphones and headsets, specifically for this Indian side.”

Mahendra Singh Dhoni: What he said, really meant and definitely did not

What he said:

“If he nicks and doesn’t walk it may be different, but apart from that he’s quite good.”

Mahendra Singh Dhoni feels that Virender Sehwag’s hearing problems may return if he nicks a ball to the ‘keeper, but for now, he’s more than fine.

What he really meant:

“Sehwag’s hearing will be as non-existent as the use of snickometer (in this series) should he nick an edge.”

What he definitely didn’t:

“I want Sehwag to sprint to the pavilion if he nicks one.”

England Lord it over Team India in first Test

Mahendra Singh Dhoni had this to say about the first Test loss at Lords: “What could go wrong, went wrong.”

The Indian skipper attributed the defeat to three factors: Zaheer Khan’s injury, the lack (consequently) of a third seamer (the Jharkhand native rolled his arm over) and misfortunes (Gautam Gambhir’s elbow blow and Sachin Tendulkar’s viral flu) that forced the reshuffling of the batting order in the final innings.

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What they said, meant and what they definitely didn’t: Yuvraj Singh

What he said:

“I wanted to jump on MS and keep jumping on him”

Yuvraj Singh on his celebrations with Dhoni on winning the World Cup.

What he meant:

“I was overjoyed.”

What he definitely didn’t:

“Dhoni’s a trampoline.”

Insuring World Cup events and IPL players , at a price (Humour)

Almost all top guns in the IPL have been insured by their respective teams, ranging from Sachin Tendulkar (Rs. 44.97 crores) to Gautam Gambhir (Rs. 11.64 crores).

Wouldn’t it have been a great idea for the ICC to secure insurance cover against original trophies  locked down by bureaucratic Customs officials? The eventualities covered could include embarrassment caused by disclosures that ‘hugged-and-kissed’ trophy is a replica, free World Cup tickets demanded by said officials and sundry miscellaneous damages including loss-of-face.

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CWC 2011:Thoughts before the World Cup semi-finals

A few random thoughts before the World Cup semi-finals:

The high octane clash between the two South East Asian neighbours—India and Pakistan—is the most eagerly awaited game of this tournament.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Gary Kirsten managed to keep a lid on the pressure of expectations and beat Australia with a sangfroid not expected from usually jittery Indian sides. It will be nothing short of a minor miracle if they can continue in the same vein at Mohali especially in front of Messrs Dr. Manmohan Singh and Yousuf Raza Gilani.

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ICC World Cup 2011: Irish Luck and DRS howlers

MS Dhoni bowled a bouncer at the ICC: Image via Wikipedia

The Irish rode their luck—the other night—to throw a spanner in England’s attempt to progress to the quarter-finals.

Kevin , the other O’Brien—younger brother to Niall who rang the curtain call on Pakistan’s exit in the 2007 World Cup—hit the fastest World Cup century ever off just 50 balls.

He was cool, calm and collected. He was to the manor born.

If there was any doubt that talent exists in the lower echelons of the ICC, Kevin O’Brien and Ryan ten Doeschate blew those vacillations to smithereens.

IPL barons, take note.

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