10 reasons why the nation is proud of MS Dhoni and Team India
The Indian team was knocked out of the World Cup by Australia, who beat them by 95 runs in the semi-final.
Some heartbroken Indian fans couldn’t control their anger following the loss and were quick to take it out on MS Dhoni and his players.
What was even more saddening was the kneejerk reaction from some of the country’s leading news anchors, who tried to cash in on the outrage and started indiscriminately bashing the Indian skipper left, right and centre.
It’s wrong to criticise a team, and especially a captain, who scripted a series of outstanding performances from his men to get to the last four in the first place.
We feel the Men in Blue can return home with their heads held high. Here’s why.
1. MS Dhoni gave it his all.
The skipper scored a fighting half-century trying to keep his team in the game till the end. No one can blame him for not trying. It’s unfair to point your fingers at the man who has postponed meeting his newborn child in order to fulfill his national duty. It’s unfair to criticise a man who has inspired his team to 11 consecutive World Cup wins. It’s cruel to criticise a man who sent out juniors in the team after every single win and came out to face the press after their first and the biggest loss.
2. Cricket may be a religion. But it’s a sport first.
It’s a simple fact. For one team to win, another has to lose. Sometimes you do well, sometimes you don’t.
3. Reaching the semi-finals itself an achievement
The Indian team had been in terrible form in the lead-up to the tournament, to a point that some people had doubts over whether they would even make it to the knockout stage. The team suffered a big blow right before the competition when Ishant Sharma was ruled out due to an injury.
But they picked up the pieces and showed real grit and determination to put on a series of wonderful displays in the group stages, including comprehensive victories over arch-rivals Pakistan and a world class team like South Africa. They deserve some credit for such an impressive recovery after a dreadful summer down under.
4. One bad game
You can’t let one bad performance define an entire tournament. We need to erase this game from our memories and remember this tournament for the seven other outstanding displays that the team put up.
5. The team played well but just not good enough.
MSD made 65. Umesh Yadav took 4 wickets. Indian bowlers made a brilliant comeback in the last 15 overs to prevent Australia from scoring a much bigger total. On another day, that could easily have been enough to secure a win. But on the day, Australia just had that extra bit of quality and depth.
6. We’re indebted to MS Dhoni
Let’s not forget that Dhoni is the man who brought the World Cup trophy back to India after 28 years. It was his match-winning knock in the final that sealed that unforgettable victory in Mumbai four years ago.
7. Indian captaincy is the ultimate iron throne
Being the captain of the Indian team may seem like a glorious prospect from afar, but it’s one of the toughest jobs to hold in this country.
Sure, you earn a lot of money, but you are constantly under scrutiny. Your professional and personal life is monitored closely, your every move it being watched by millions and every decision of yours is analysed by hundreds of journalists.
Nobody can argue that MSD’s greying hair has nothing to do with the pressure of the position he holds. The skipper may have got a few moves wrong, but let’s not forget the numerous right moves he has made as the team’s leader.
8. Can’t we spare some love for our own team?
The images of the heartbroken AB de Villiers, Morne Morkel, Dale Steyn and co. following South Africa’s semi-final loss against New Zealand prompted millions of sympathetic messages from Indian fans across the globe. Why can’t we treat our players with the same respect and support them when they need it the most?
9. Look at the positives
The transformation of the Indian cricket team from a promising, yet underperforming unit to a dominant force in world cricket has a lot to do with MS Dhoni’s leadership. Let’s not forget the fact the countless occasions on which he has singlehandedly stolen wins from the clutches of defeats. Let’s not forget how the Men in Blue have evolved under his captaincy.
Let’s also not forget that he has achieved what no Indian captain has ever achieved: The no. 1 Test as well as ODI ranking, an ODI World Cup trophy and a World T20 Championship.
10. And finally, let’s be good sports
When a few Bangladeshi fans made match-fixing claims following their team’s loss to India in the quarter-finals, we jumped on them like hungry tigers. We called them sour losers. We called them ungraceful. Some of us literally sounded like they were ready to go to war with their neighbours over this issue.
How graceful are we in our own defeat now? Are we mature enough to congratulate Australia on a wonderful performance and admit that they were just better on the day? We’re all lovers of the Indian cricket team. But first, let’s all be lovers of the game of cricket.
