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‘What the heck are you talking about?’ Hussey when MS Dhoni said ‘don’t argue with umpire even if he says it’s not out’
Michael Hussey explained why MS Dhoni's thought process always stood out.
Former Australia and Chennai Super Kings batter Michael Hussey explained what goes on in the mind of MS Dhoni. India’s most decorated limited-overs captain, Dhoni made a career out of staying calm and possessing a cool demeanour. Those who have played under him – and there have been way too many – don’t consider him the greatest captain without a reason. Dhoni’s calculated moves and unorthodox approach are what brought India three ICC trophies and CSK five IPL titles. To be honest, a whole docuseries could be made about Dhoni and how he operates – there are literally thousands of clips circulating on the internet – but nothing comes close to the real picture explained by some of the people who’ve worked closely with him.
Hussey, who played seven whole seasons with CSK and became one of the franchise’s most successful batters, provided a fine insight into Dhoni the captain. And boy, only a different mind, cut above the rest, could deliver that kind of a result.
“He’s a special guy; he sees the game differently than most, and that’s what I love about him. You often think about what to do in a certain situation, but he will always go 180-degree and see things differently. But I think his greatest strength, particularly, in a place like India, where there are so many players and so much pressure, stress – you can see these young Indian guys – but Dhoni’s got this beautiful way of taking pressure off them,” Hussey said on the Stick to Cricket podcast.
Hussey gives an example
And nothing proves it better than an example. Hussey recalled an instance when Dhoni’s advice was so out-of-the-box that the Aussie did not agree with it. However, as he spent more time with MSD, Hussey realised why what Dhoni did was important all along.
“I’ll give you an example. Dhoni saw these young Indian guys were really nervous during a massive game, and he just goes, ‘Boys, doesn’t matter if we win or lose today, just enjoy the game, smile at the crowd, try and execute your skills. But the most important thing is I want to try and win the Fairplay award. So if you get a wicket, and the umpire gives it not out, don’t argue with the umpire. Just get on with the next ball. I don’t want to see any arguing; just go and relax.’ And I remember thinking ‘What the heck are you talking about?’ If you get Chris Gayle out for a duck, take your shirt off and go swinging it around. It wasn’t until later that I realised he was taking the pressure off the young Indian guys,” said Hussey.
