The 4 phases of MS Dhoni's career over the years

Dhoni – ‘The Finisher’

World Cup winning six

Scoring a much needed 72* from just 46 balls against Pakistan at Lahore, while chasing an intimidating target of 289, Dhoni showed what he was capable of, way back in 2006. In the same series, Dhoni’s master class of 77* from 56 balls also came under immense pressure, but it took some more time for the world to acknowledge the finisher in the most successful Indian captain.

With more power comes more responsibility. There was a time when the Indian team kept losing the plot, throwing wickets in the middle under pressure, failing to capitalise on the start. Dhoni decided to put an end to this issue as he sacrificed his favourite number 4 position and began to bat lower down the order. He curbed his natural attacking instincts and started playing more sensibly.

Soon he became a colossal figure in the middle, acting like a wall that prevented the opposition from getting into India’s tail-enders. In the slog overs, he was as destructive as always, scoring boundaries at will without a tinge of pressure. Bowlers trembled to bowl to Dhoni at death, and he made use of this mental weakness of the opposition to his favour.

Dhoni, arguably the greatest finisher of modern times, was born.

Wicket-keeping is a high-pressure job. Captaining and lower-order batting is even more pressure. And what if someone has to do all these three things in a World Cup final? That could be the most extreme pressure situation a player could possibly imagine.

But great leaders always thrive under pressure. Dhoni’s 91* from 79 balls to steer India to victory against Sri Lanka in the 2011 World Cup final, chasing an improbable target of 275, is testimony of that. With a towering six over long-on, he finished the game in style, enlivening a billion hopes of the cricket fanatic nation.

How could one forget the exhilarating climax of the tri-series final against Sri Lanka in West Indies, when Dhoni smashed 16 runs in the last over bowled by Eranga under enormous pressure?

The nail-biting finish of 2010 IPL match against Kings XI Punjab, when Dhoni sealed the semi-final spot for CSK by demolishing Irfan Pathan in the final over of the match, the CB series match against Australia in 2012, when Clint McKay looked like a kid in front of the Indian skipper, and many more thrilling last over finishes – he has been just incredible when it comes to dealing with pressure.

Dhoni, ‘finishing the game with a six’ is now a cliched phrase, such was his success rate in the final overs of the game. Even the best players appear nervous under pressure situations, but Dhoni’s nonchalance and dexterity are still an enigma.

Maybe he too experiences the pressure (that’s what his grey hair suggests), but the fact is that he just absorbs and overrides it with his tremendous self-confidence.

Dhoni – ‘The Anchor’

Dhoni is quite good at anchoring the innings

Dhoni is probably in his final phase now. In fact, he always loved to anchor the innings, batting at Number 4, but for the sake of a perfect team combination he had to give up that wish and had to do the dirty work. Over the years he has done that quite well; in fact, he was the best in the business when it came to finishing. However, it seems like now he needs a change.

His grey hair won’t be black again. Years of mental and physical hard work have taken a big toll on his body. The old Dhoni, who could easily find the fence at will regardless of the bowler or condition, is no more. Helicopter shots from Dhoni’s blade have become a rare sight.

Yes, we have lost that old long haired crank who had been a nightmare for bowlers all around the world.

But time has not yet come to write him off. His 85* against Zimbabwe in the World Cup 2015, when India were staggering at 92-4, proves he is still well in the game. His 92* from 86 balls in the second match of the just concluded series against South Africa reminded us of his gritty knock of 113* against Pakistan in 2012 which resurrected India from a position of 29-5.

He might have some troubles with his hard hitting skills, but he is still the master of calculated chases. His sprinting between the wickets, stealing swift singles and doubles, and lightning quick stumpings have no match. Dhoni the anchor, is still well alive. All he needs is a comfortable position in the batting order.

He bid adieu to the longer format of the game earlier this year, to concentrate more on ODIs and T20Is. Despite all his technical flaws, he retired from Test cricket with an average of 38, which is in fact nothing short of amazing for a wicket-keeper. Captaining in three formats while donning the keeper’s gloves is no easy job.

Dhoni is not as stylish as Sachin. Not as perfect as Dravid. Nor as simple as Sehwag. He is just a brutal hitter, a silent guardian, and an inspirational leader.

From a railway ticket collector to one of the most brilliant leaders the world has ever seen, Mahendra Singh Dhoni is a ‘man of transformation’. Over the years, he has gone through various phases, ups and downs, and has portrayed many roles with a great deal of success.

But no matter what phase he is in, Dhoni is someone who we can proudly point to and say, ‘He is my role model’.