Greatest wicket-keepers of all time: MS Dhoni

Indian movies always abound with scripts that tell a tale of rags to the riches. The protagonist, hailing from not a very affluent background, from a remote city that has not yet reaped the fruits of liberalization, battles against all odds, breaking the shackles and finally emerging as a darling of the masses.

Such success stories have captivated millions in this nation, and the nation has never had a dearth of such darlings. Rajnikanth, a world renowned superstar, was a bus conductor in his earlier days. The journey from a bus conductor to a charismatic superstar is what forms the crux of his success story. Sports too isn’t devoid of such tales – Kapil Dev was one such hero. His rugged look and aggression made him the hero he was.

There was another boy, he hailed from Ranchi. Within a span of five years, he reached the zenith of Indian cricket. He lived the dream of every young sportsman. Today, he is the richest Indian sportsman and bagging the most lucrative endorsement deals, even usurping Tendulkar. He is also the most talked about cricketer. Every time he takes the field, the decibel level soars. The most envied cricketer today, the cricketer with an enormous clout, he is Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

His flamboyant strokes, his blitzkrieg shots, his spectacular helicopter hits have struck an instant chord with the fans and the youth today are bewitched by his batting. He forayed into cricket as a hard hitter; a swashbuckler. In what is construed to be a master stroke, he tweaked his game to fit the role of an accumulator. The transformation from a hard hitter to an accumulator and a finisher has astounded the cricketing fraternity. With a plethora of match winning knocks under his kitty, today, he is one of the best finishers in the world and arguably the best ODI player. To sum it up, currently, he is the best wicket keeper batsman.

A lot has been articulated about his batting, yet, the word that precedes it hasn’t got the due recognition. He broke the glass ceiling and made it to the team as a wicket-keeper who could bat. The latter sidelined the former. Quite understandable, considering that wicket-keeping is the most thankless job in cricket.

A catch spilled by the wicket keeper would be unpardonable, yet a stunner by the same keeper could well go unnoticed. A wicket keeper plays the best second fiddle to a bowler. Batsmen could just bat and bowlers could just bowl, but a wicket keeper was always compelled to play a dual role. He had to bat to stay in the scheme of things. In the nets, when every batsman relaxed after his stint, a wicket keeper would undergo keeping drills. Crouching, diving, squatting, the wicket keeper always had to toil. Hence, by far the most laborious job and yet the most underrated job.

MS Dhoni, in his initial days, wasn’t the best of wicket keepers. He was not even half as swift as he is today. Till he was made the captain in 2007, he looked very ordinary. However, from 2007, his keeping attributes increased by leaps and bounds. He atoned for his low profile as a wicket keeper and raised his standards quite considerably.

Practice is the key, they say; today, he is the best wicket keeper the nation has ever had, at least as far as numbers are concerned. Having effected 234 dismissals (203 catches and 31 dismissals), he finds a place in the top ten wicket keepers of all time. However, there are factors that detractors seldom mull over before pouncing on him.

The sub-continent is the toughest place to keep wickets. With its slow and dry nature, the spin would not only befuddle the batsmen, but also the keeper. It takes practice and the keeper needs to be well acquainted with the bowler’s game plan. A keeper needs to scrutinize the bowler’s finger as much as the batsman needs to. Hence, keeping to Kumble or Harbhajan is a commendable achievement.

While other keepers kept with their sole focus on the bowler, Dhoni has other thoughts doing rounds in his head. From field placements to bowling changes, his mind is brimming with thoughts while he’s working behind the wood work. Yet, affecting such swift stumpings and run outs is what makes him the best. He may not be the best catcher behind the wickets, yet when it came to run outs and stumpings, he is right up there. He wastes no time in knocking off the bails: a rapid movement of his hand, and the bails are off in a jiffy.

The 2011 England tour was a forgettable outing for Dhoni the keeper as well as the captain. Dhoni the keeper, fumbled and stumbled, grassing routine catches. In England, the ball swings more than in any other country and the keeper needs to move with the ball rather than wait for it. MSD did the latter and paid the price. This was quickly rectified and in the series that followed, he was flawless. From then on, he has had safe hands and you don’t see him flooring many catches.

Diligence and fortitude has always dominated his arsenal. He has promoted himself up the order many a time, even if it meant he would be criticized if he failed. His commitment is never under the scanner. Behind the wickets too, he has been an epitome of commitment.

One remembers how, to Ishant Sharma, he kept up to the wickets. That is testimony to his commitment. After all, he prefers to be the punching bag.

Th nation could find better keepers, but I am sure there wouldn’t be another Mahendra Singh Dhoni – a wicket keeper, a splendid ODI batsman, a cool-headed captain. The combination is as deadly as it sounds. Catapulting his greatness is his temperament. Unfazed by the growing cynosure, he remains as cool a captain as ever.

There were times when every thing he touched turned into gold and there were times when everything he touched fell to the ground. Yet, he remains the loyal captain he is. While other keepers just see the spherical ball when behind the wickets, he sees a huge sphere filled with a million emotions, a venomous media, critics sharpening their knives, and many more things. Yet, he clings on to the huge spherical ball, embracing it. This sets him on the top. The pressure with which he keeps wickets tells a tale or two and exemplifies his greatness.

There has been a huge outcry over his place in the test team. All the voices have despised him but never come up with a solution or an alternative. Given the dull phase Indian cricket is going through, no one else in the ranks, including the God, has got the grit and character to stomach the pressure. There would be no other wicket keeper who would keep with such sharp eyes, bat with aplomb, and lead with such adroit abilities.

You can hate him, but you can never replace him. You can despise him, but you can never usurp him. Mahendra Singh Dhoni, one of the best wicket keepers.

To check the rest of the list of the greatest wicketkeepers of all time, click here.