Mahendra Singh Dhoni, famously known as ‘Captain Cool’ for his composed demeanour on the field, led the Indian cricket team with remarkable poise and strategy. During his tenure as captain, Dhoni managed a squad that included senior legends such as Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly, and Virender Sehwag, alongside emerging talents like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Under his astute leadership, India achieved unprecedented success, securing all three major titles in the limited-overs format and winning the prestigious ICC Test Mace. Dhoni remains the only Indian captain to have accomplished these extraordinary feats.
There were times, however, when even the ‘Captain Cool’ lost his calm. In recent times, it happened during the IPL, when Dhoni would react angrily over poor fielding efforts or a loose delivery from a bowler. However, India’s star off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has now revealed a 2010 incident, when Dhoni got so angry he decided to send Sreesanth back to India mid-way through the tour in South Africa.
The reason? Sreesanth repeatedly ignored the then-India captain’s calls to sit in the dugout with other reserves for a massage in the dressing room. This happened during a limited-overs match in Port Elizabeth (now known as Gqeberha); Ashwin, also a reserve player in the match, recalled he carried endless bottles of water to Dhoni, who at one point asked him where Sreesanth was.
Ashwin recounts how he went to the changing room to relay Dhoni’s message to Sreesanth, who, however, stayed in the dressing room upstairs. The incident escalated when Dhoni, visibly angry, asked Ashwin to convey the message to team manager Ranjib Biswal to book Sreesanth’s return tickets for the following day. Ultimately, Sreesanth, who was an integral part of the 2010 side, complied with Dhoni’s directive.
The revelations from Ashwin’s book shed light on Dhoni’s leadership style and the moments when even the calmest captain could lose his composure. It showcases the dynamics within the Indian cricket team and the importance of discipline and respect for authority on the field. While Dhoni’s decisiveness is well-documented, Ashwin’s account provides a behind-the-scenes look at a pivotal incident during India’s tour of South Africa in 2010, offering fans a glimpse into the captain’s methods.
