MS Dhoni's legacy continues to inspire players and fans worldwide, despite India's lack of major ICC trophies since his retirement. Australian legend Matthew Hayden, who played under Dhoni for three years at Chennai Super Kings, has heaped praise on the former Indian captain.
Hayden, a member of Australia's dominant teams in the early 2000s, believes Dhoni could have easily led an Australian dressing room. "He believes that he is not bigger than anyone else," said Hayden. "He'll collect bags, he'll throw cricket balls."
Hayden's compliments are particularly significant in light of recent incidents at the 2024 T20 World Cup. Australia's ODI World Cup-winning captain Pat Cummins was seen carrying drinks for his teammates in their T20 World Cup opener against Oman, despite not playing. Hayden believes Dhoni would have been equally selfless.
"He's a very humble individual," stated Hayden. "Dhoni finds a way to galvanise people, where it's nothing about ego, nothing about self-promotion."
Chennai Super Kings face a daunting task in replacing Dhoni's leadership. Despite winning the title in 2023 under Dhoni's captaincy, CSK failed to qualify for the play-offs this season with Ruturaj Gaikwad at the helm.
"Dhoni will remain the iconic leader of CSK forever," said Hayden. "That's his charm, but also his X-factor."
Team India continues to search for its first T20 World Cup title since 2007, when Dhoni led a young Indian team to victory. Dhoni's legacy as a selfless and inspiring leader serves as a reminder of the qualities needed to achieve success at the highest level.
Tags: #MSDhoni, #MatthewHayden, #ChennaiSuperKings, #TeamIndia, #T20WorldCup
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