As the one and only Ramesh Srivats put it so wittily, if there was one thing MSD could not achieve, it was this:
It all started with a blistering knock against
Pakistan, when an international star was born.
The world stood up and took notice of a batsman who could bludgeon the ball most cleanly as well as brutally.
Using his bat like a scimitar, he made the wicketkeeper-batsman slot his very own, after that innings.
Over to 2007.
Legends like Sachin, Dravid, and Ganguly had decided to skip the T20 tamasha, albeit it being the (first) World Cup of this format.
MS got anointed as the new captain in the format, and as they say, the rest is history.
The young team, led ably by its new leader, won the World Cup, and MS as captain was here to stay.
We often criticize (correctly) his inability to force the pace in Tests, the tendency to be passive, letting the game drift, and a general inertia in his Test-match leadership.
I have never quite fathomed how he could not translate his One-Day style of captaincy, filled with innovative, out-of-the-box thinking, into Tests.
Perhaps if we had better bowlers, he might have been more authoritative.
Perhaps he always knew we could do only so much with our limited bowling arsenal (hence being defensive too soon).
Who is to know, and it is anyway, a futile exercise judging the what if's and what-could-have-beens.
What is important and unforgettable, is the fact that he has achieved and delivered so much for Team India, across all formats, in all these years.
We might accuse him of being laidback in Tests, of being reactive as a captain, but we cannot ever question his composure (perhaps his silence on issues such as corruption, N Srinivasan, and suchlike) but never his intent and calmness both on and off the field.
Undoubtedly, he set a glorious example as a leader with all his achievements.
Sample this: here is a man who led India to:
- World No. 1 in Tests
- World Champions in One Dayers
- World Champions in T20
- Winner of Champions Trophy
- Beating Australia in Australia in their Triangular ODI Tournaments
Add to that, his victories in IPL, Champions League, and his cool-as-cucumber approach in all situations.
In any case, win or lose, the best part about MS was that he never lost sense of the moment and never let any success or failure seem larger than life, letting the moment pass by as one of the many moments in life.
By the way, to get a glimpse of the man's persona, do read the very knowledgeable and very readable
Gaurav Kalra -
MSD from a distance.
You could never make out from his face, whether MS has won or lost the match.
A sincere hat-tip to your equanimity and sanity amidst any and every chaos around you, MSD!!
Well done, and well played!!!
Now that you have handed over the format that was most excruciating and tiring for you, hope to see you play with even more freedom and authority in limited overs cricket, across all formats!
Salute for a glittering career in Test cricket and for
retiring with grace, and on your own terms!!
