Dhoni – the Ice Man

I am fascinated by MS Dhoni's captaincy style and find his demeanour refreshingly unique.

The Ice Man has a calm and controlled aura about him that is so rarely in evidence when individuals are thrust into the combustible cauldron of professional sport. He has a steely resolve that lurks just beneath the surface and is ready to rise when warranted, but generally his game-face is a study of relaxation.

The owner of 22 motorbikes, eight cars and an ever-expanding bank balance, Dhoni is the poster boy for many. He is always ready to flash a smile, engage in a chat and exchange pre-game pleasantries. He is never in any agitated or hurried mode and always appears to not have a care in the world. That in itself is hard to fathom considering about 1 billion sets of eyeballs are watching his every move!

Remarkably Dhoni never strategises too much before a match. He leaves that detail up to his trusted coaching staff and his expertise only kicks in come game time. Only when the coin at the toss is airborne do his instincts take centre stage.

His attitude throughout a match is quite extraordinary and his serene assertiveness enviable. Whilst captaining in the field he has the amazing ability to sit back and work from a solid base, but predominantly captain by remote control. It often appears he is going through the motions, but that is far from the case. He is waiting for a gap. Like the Indian tigers that he promotes and cares for, he is ready to pounce should any sign of weakness be visible. He is a winner and manages situations superbly to promote reversals of fortune.

In what must be a liberating attitude for his teammates, he has no preconceived ideas about totals. He chooses not to set initial targets whether batting or bowling, and opts to assess after eight overs once the conditions have been scrutinised.

Think about that. It makes so much sense for a team environment if you have the correct personnel and genuine belief. How often in this T20 format have we seen teams demoralised early due to opposition domination, subsequently never to recover?

The hallmark of Dhoni's captaincy when batting is flexibility, and he never underestimates the value of the element of surprise. He himself is the one who often steers the ship with his aggressive intent and unmatched batspeed.

With Dhoni's modus operandi he places no undue pressure on his team. His attitude simply permeates throughout his charges and in turn empowers them. It takes a unique individual with extraordinary qualities to captain a team in this style. His successful record with all teams is testament to his captaincy acumen.

This format of the game is a stern test of character under pressure.

The Ice Man passes with flying colours.