INDIA TOUR OF AUSTRALIA, 2018-19

Touche Dhoni

by Bharat Sundaresan • Last updated on

MS Dhoni scored an unbeaten half-century in the successful run-chase in Adelaide © Getty

A rocket to the moon is said to only spend around 7 per cent of its actual journey on the correct course. The only reason it eventually even reaches its destined destination is on the back of a lot of course correction along the way. The Apollo, they say, was off-course for 97 per cent after leaving earth but it still got there in the end without a delay and without any fuss.

It's generally a metaphor used for life, where it's advised you have a fixed destination in mind for sure, but keep taking stock of if you're on the right path at every juncture. But it's also a metaphor that fits rather well with a classic MS Dhoni run-chase. It's unlikely the former India captain is much of an astronomy or physics buff. Those around him don't credit him with such varied interests, especially those which are unlikely to be of any use in his daily life. But there are similarities between Dhoni and the Apollo that are hard to miss.

Think about it. When Dhoni walks into bat in the second innings of an ODI, he has a final terminus that's set for him. The target is right there in bold. And for most parts, historically, Dhoni rarely seems to be on course that most others would assume is the correct one.

At times, he's so far off course that even some of his teammates don't quite get what he's actually planning to do. Think back to 2012 right here in Adelaide, and Gautam Gambhir's comment about how "he wouldn't leave it till the end" on a night Dhoni had helped India chase down 270 with a last-over six off Clint McKay.

But the Dhoni brain, like the Apollo, when on track always finds a way of recalibrating its path.

When Dhoni walked out to bat on Tuesday, India needed 139 runs off 116 balls at a required rate of 6.66. Virat Kohli was going at his own rate at the other end. The Indian captain has of course created his own niche when it comes to chasing down totals, but it isn't based too much on course correction. It's more cruise control from start to finish.

Kohli's batting and his approach to any situation, regardless of whatever format he's playing, is also based a lot on rhythm and momentum. And he'd been flowing rather seamlessly till the point his predecessor joined him in the middle. Dhoni, like he does on most days, though was keen on getting his eye in first. He scored only 4 off the first 10 balls he faced.

Those included five straight dot deliveries off Glenn Maxwell followed by a single. It also meant that the required rate was left touching 7 for the first time in the innings. Kohli did fix the deficit somewhat hitting a six and a four off Jason Behrendorff in the next over followed by a four off Nathan Lyon in the next. But Dhoni was undeterred with his plan.

He once again seemed keen on seeing off Marcus Stoinis in the 40th over of the innings rather than looking urgent. Only one run came off it, leaving India needing 83 from the last 10. Dhoni had stretched his score to 12 off 24, based around 3 doubles and 9 singles. Even if he wasn't complementing Kohli in terms of his keenness to keep the scoring rate on par, Dhoni was surely complementing him in terms of his keenness with regards to running between the wickets. And on occasion they would even play possum while running a single to steal a second run.

India scored 22 runs off the next 3 overs, in which time Dhoni had added two more doubles while Kohli had brought up yet another second innings ODI ton before getting out in the following over to Jhye Richardson. For once, Kohli hadn't seen India home with him out there in the middle. He'd done enough though and had left the finishing touches to the man who owned the rights to the best finisher title before he came along.

India needed 57 off 38 with Dhoni batting on 25 off 34. His strike-rate at that point stood at 73.52. In a run-chase of 299, and with the required rate now over 9, you could mistake him for being too slow. But he'd already corrected his course leading up to then, and he was all set to do so yet again.

The next over, from Lyon, saw Dhoni's first shot in anger as he left his crease and bludgeoned the off-spinner over mid-wicket for six. It was a crucial boundary, and came at absolutely the perfect time. It meant the rate hadn't climbed to double-figures. It also left Dhoni and Dinesh Karthik needing a boundary an over, which considering the inexperience of Australia's death bowling- Richardson, Stoinis and Behrendorff in this case - was par for the course.

And Karthik did hit a boundary each in the next two overs, while Dhoni kept pushing and running. Behrendorff returned for his final spell with a rather tidy over, but the one time he drifted towards Dhoni's pads, he was tucked around the corner with just enough force to ensure the two batsmen could scamper a three.

There was no boundary in the following Stoinis over either, as Dhoni, battling fatigue, cramps and muscle pain, somehow pushed himself and completed a third run to make up for the lack of a boundary ball. By now so knackered was Dhoni that at one point he asked the substitute, who'd run in for the umpteenth time with drinks, to pick up his gloves and hand it to him.

Without fuss or panic, Dhoni had steered the ship back on course and very close to its summit. Michael Hussey would provide an insight on commentary into how the Dhoni brain thinks in the business end of a limited-overs contest. "He who takes pressure last, always win the match," the former Aussie batsman would say about his erstwhile Chennai Super Kings captain's approach.

Dinesh Karthik would sum up his fellow wicket-keeper's batting approach later in the day aptly saying, "He thinks what is needed in the moment, and executes that. He doesn't think there are ten overs and how to score in them, he thinks about how the bowler is bowling now and that's all he thinks."

The game had now entered Dhoni time. It was basically the bowler who was left with doing all the thinking. It seemed inevitable that the pressure would get to Behrendorff, like it has to so many bowlers before him. And it did, as he pitched the ball exactly where Dhoni was backing him to do, and he duly smashed the ball into orbit to steer his team home one more time.

This wasn't quite Dhoni rolling back the clock, but more him showing that he's still got it. It wasn't quite the Dhoni touch, but more Touche Dhoni.

© Cricbuzz

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