Bad Time For India: Captain Dhoni drops back down to earth

It has been a galling tour for Mahendra Singh Dhoni - the hitherto untouchable and apparently invincible captain of the world's number one team, India.

After his side won the World Cup on home soil, Dhoni was heralded as the best captain in international cricket and the plaudits never ceased thereafter.

But a mere four months later, India continue to toil haplessly on their tour of England without sufficient runs from their much-lauded batting line up, without wickets from their bowling unit, and devoid of leadership and inspiration.

It has truly been a woeful time for India and, in particular, for Dhoni.

The India talisman has looked apprehensive and anxious behind the stumps with his glovework heavily criticised, and he has made just 126 runs at an average of 25.20.

A very fine, combative 77 in the first innings at Edgbaston was a fleeting contribution with the bat from the number seven, but comparisons with his opposite number Matt Prior do not do him any favours.

Prior has averaged 82.66 in this series, with 248 runs to his name in just four knocks; his keeping, meanwhile, has been exemplary and roundly acclaimed.

With scores of 28, 16, 5 and 0 in the first two Tests, Dhoni's status as India's chief all-rounder - in the wicketkeeper-batsman guise - has been undermined with his team suffering badly in the process.

Many pundits have long noted that Dhoni's batting in the longest form of the game is not disciplined enough to withstand accurate, probing bowling in conditions outside the sub-continent, and are now looking rather smug. 

In Tests outside of India, Dhoni's average drops by nearly nine and, prior to this third Test, he averaged less than 25 over the last 12 months with only two scores over 35.

While it would be grossly unfair for Dhoni to shoulder the blame for his side's incompetence in this series, the leader has not skippered the side in the manner demanded of him.

India have been inept in the field, with two dismal dropped catches on day two just about summing up the sheer despondence running through their performance as a team.

It was another hapless display from the tourists, and Dhoni was expressionless all day as he rotated his weary bowlers and his dark sunglasses could not hide the despondency which was palpable.

Much has been made of Duncan Fletcher's tenure but, given that the former England coach is only in the embryonic stages of his reign, India need their wealth of experienced players to step up and be counted.

Dhoni has been the iconic hero of Indian cricket and continues to captain his side with distinction in the shorter forms of the game, but now he has a new test to overcome.

Can he lift his side from the depths of despair at Edgbaston and lead by example with an uncharacteristically stubborn and Rahul Dravid-esque knock in the second innings?

India may well be set to be usurped by England at the top of the world rankings, but at this stage it is the character and spirit of Dhoni's side which is under scrutiny.

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TALKING POINT OF THE DAY: After England captain Andrew Strauss was erroneously given out off a no ball from prolific over-stepper Amit Mishra, the clamour for the third umpire - who spends most of his day drinking tea and watching daytime TV - to inspect wicket-taking deliveries as the batsman leaves the crease continues to grow.

What do you think? Post your views below...

MS Dhoni's 30th birthday : MSD Turns 30 Today (7thJuly 2011)

Mumbai: As Mahendra Singh Dhoni turns 30 today, MiD DAY provides you with the same number of accolades from people who have admired the skipper over the years

Dhoni is one guy, who grasps things very quickly and has really transformed his game. Youngsters can learn a lot from him. And I think he has handled the captaincy really well.
Yuvraj Singh

He is the best captain I have played under. He is very sharp and always alert. He reads the situation well and is open to sharing ideas. He always has discussions with bowlers, batsmen and senior players separately.
Sachin Tendulkar

He stays calm.
Situational awareness has been his biggest strength. He reads the situation well, is open to ideas, and above all, he doesn't show frustration.
Sachin Tendulkar again

His cricket, his decisions, his manners - all speak for themselves, he is right up there as a skipper.
Harbhajan Singh

Dhoni is the greatest captain of our country. His record is proof of that.
Sourav Ganguly

Dhoni is the Obama of cricket.
Praveen Kumar

It feels good to be compared to a player like him. Dhoni is like God.
Saurabh Tiwary

Dhoni was a junior player when he became captain (in 2007) but with his performances, he established his authority on the seniors. I am not a junior, but I want to lead from the front like him.
Shahid Afridi

MS, to me, from a personal point of view, is a very special leader to play under. I have a very good relationship with him, having played alongside him for four IPL seasons.
Albie Morkel (SA player)

There's a lot of support for him and the team seems to be so relaxed around him, and that is great.
Sir Vivian Richards (after T20 World Cup win)

I am very fond of Dhoni as a cricketer. He is extremely modest, hardworking and dedicated. I like his body language and the way he approaches his game. He likes to take risks and is not afraid of losing in the bargain.
Dilip Vengsarkar

Dhoni is my hero. We talk a lot about Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, but this boy has as much as talent as anyone in the game.
Kapil Dev

I strongly believe in Dhoni. He's a clever captain and will come up with some sort of a plan.
Kapil Dev before 2011 WC

Dhoni is the greatest captain India has ever seen.
Navjot Singh Sidhu

Dhoni has no false modesty and judges the situation to ably tackle it. He had the quality of a good leader and everytime he tries to give 100 per cent.
Greg Chappell

I have never seen a player give as much effort to every game. I've never seen him lose his temper. He loves taking responsibility and when the team loses, no one feels it more than him.
Gary Kirsten

Dhoni does not give you an impression that he is tired. We actually felt he might get tired after such a rigorous World Cup campaign, but we were amazed.
Andy Bichel, Chennai Super Kings bowling coach

Dhoni is the most assured and relaxed captain and he has the respect of his players. He is also an astute tactician and a genuine match-winner.
Imran Khan

He has become the biggest brand of Indian cricket, but remains the same. He has not changed a bit which is really commendable.
Keshav Banerjee, Dhoni's coach at DAV school, Ranchi

A lot of placards in the crowd suggest that you should get a haircut, but if you take my advice, you look good in this hairstyle.
Parvez Musharraf (former Pakistan president)

He first came across as someone who didn't fear anything, someone who just played his shots and had a lot of fun.
Harsha Bhogle

I pray that a tennis player should emerge from Ranchi as M S Dhoni emerged for cricket.
Sania Mirza

Dhoni is the backbone of Indian cricket.
Milkha Singh

Dhoni is the best of all modern captains.
Ian Chappell

Dhoni has changed the face of Indian cricket. he leads from the front. He has charisma and the players like him. He has given this team confidence.
Wasim Akram

He came to cricket as might a passenger at a train station, reached captaincy, runs, fame and riches not as some ruined child or as a street urchin destined to cover himself in bracelets but as a grounded and gritty young man for whom wealth was a consequence and not an aim.
Peter Roebuck
Dhoni's leadership, the role he plays behind the stumps and his middle-order batting makes him India's key player.
Tony Greig

The greatest innings ever played by a captain in a World Cup final was Clive Lloyd's monumental hundred against Australia at Lord's in the inaugural tournament in 1975 and if this (Dhoni's 91 in the World Cup 2011 final) was not its equal then it was not far behind.
Mike Atherton, former England captain
At school I used to score regularly but I think they were quite afraid of my temperament. I was very aggressive with the guys who were not really 100% on the field.
Dhoni on Dhoni

MSD To Campaign for Jharkhand's endangered flora

Not only the tiger, Team India captain MS Dhoni may now become the brand ambassador for Jharkhand's endangered species.

"To have Dhoni as the brand ambassador for the tiger project is one of our big achievements. I will try to highlight his message regarding protection of other endangered species in the state, which has about 30 per cent forest cover," Deputy Chief Minister Sudesh Mahto told reporters.

"The forest department is readying drafts as to how to utilise Dhoni's services in protecting tigers. We will now spread his messages to highlight the importance for saving other endangered species as well," Mahto, who also holds the Environment and Forests portfolio, said.

Sakshi Before Camera For First Time : Sakshi In Movies ?

Raj Nidimoru, was in Hyderabad to shoot a commercial with MS Dhoni and wife Sakshi, who was facing the camera for the first time. If DK is to be believed, Sakshi is not "camera conscious" and was uninhibited in front of the lens.

So, does his director's eye spot an actor-in-the-making in Sakshi? "She can make a good actor. She has it in her and with proper grooming, I'm sure, she has the talent that ought to be explored," he says, adding that should Sakshi ever decide to join movies, he might like to do a project with her.

Sachin VS Dhoni : A gifted specialist vs a Born Leader

To say the first half of 2011 has been good for MS Dhoni would probably qualify as understatement of the year. He successfully captained India to a World Cup victory after 28 years and led the Chennai Super Kings to its second consecutive IPL triumph.

God Vs MSD

In 2007, when India won the ICC World Twenty 20 under Dhoni's captaincy, all but a few fans and cricket writers dismissed it as a fluke. Dhoni's track record over the last five years, however, has left little room for doubt. From cricket commentators to brand gurus, the verdict on 'Mahi' is that he's India's next big cricketing hero - perhaps the only person in the team who can be spoken of in the same breath as Sachin Tendulkar.

There is of course a lot that sets the current Indian skipper apart from his senior colleague. Santosh Desai, CEO, Future Brands, observes that the difference between Tendulkar and Dhoni is that of a gifted specialist versus a leader. If Tendulkar represents a continuity of the tradition of a middle class Mumbai cricketing superstar a la Sunil Gavaskar, Dhoni is an outsider with no benchmarks of success or failure.Says Desai, "Tendulkar's passion for the game is almost childlike versus the deep wisdom and understanding of a greater kind that Dhoni has: cricket is an instrument not an end in itself." Ambi Parameswaran, CEO, Draftfcb Ulka, adds, "Both offer different role models. Sachin offers discipline, individual excellence, never settling for second best and pushing oneself to the limit. Dhoni stands for rallying the troops, leading from the front, sticking one's neck out, giving due credit and examining mistakes even before one celebrates success"

PMK protests M S Dhoni's Appearance in liquor Commercials:

Pasumai Thayagam, a sister organisation of Pattali Makkal Katchi in Tamil Nadu, today protested against Indian cricket team captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni's appearance in a liquor brand's advertisement, saying it would be against the interest of the youth.

About 100 activists were detained by police when they tried to stage a protest outside the hotel where Dhoni is staying. The World Cup winning captain was here to lead his IPL team, Chennai Super Kings, against Rajasthan Royals at MA Chidambaram stadium here.

The protesters said Dhoni's appearance in the advertisement would encourage more youth to take to alcohol.

Meanwhile, a release said that former Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss had written to Dhoni asking him to follow the footsteps of cricketing icon Sachin Tendulkar who had reportedly declined to feature in alcohol advertisement.

MSD With Indian Team In Prathiba Patel's House : [Photos]