File image of MS Dhoni
Chennai Super Kings skipper MS dhoni has been crowned as the Greatest of All Time (GOAT) captain in the history of Indian Premier League by the Star Sports jury, on their flagship show Cricket Connected. Dhoni, who has guided Chennai Super Kings to three IPL victories and has a staggering win percentage of 60.11, overhauled Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma who guided his franchise to a record four titles.
Apart from Rohit, Gautam Gambhir, Shane Warne, Adam Gilchrist and David Warner were also part of the elite nominee list.
Dhoni has been one of the many players who has received a demi-God status in Indian cricket. From making his debut in a team comprising of legends, Dhoni only managed to successfully grab the spotlight after he led Team India to a World T20 title in 2007. From thereon, his stature kept
growing.
Chennai Super Kings picked him in the maiden IPL auction, where he became the most expensive player in 2008 and since then began MSD’s transformation from a player to an icon. With over 4000 runs at an average of almost 42 in the IPL, Dhoni has time and again proved his
importance as a vital cog in the CSK wheel.
His ability to finish off games saw Captain Cool as the leading run-scorer in the 2019 edition. He has led his team to 8 finals, the most by any captain in the tournament and has ensured his team reaches the top 4 on 11 out of 12 seasons in the IPL. Besides his contribution to the game, Dhoni has also managed to win the hearts of his team.
Praising Dhoni’s captaincy, Star Sports expert and former World Cup-winning fast bowler Ashish Nehra said on Cricket Connected, “My pick for the greatest captain is MS Dhoni, under whose captaincy I have played the maximum, be it for the national team or in the IPL. I haven’t played under Rohit, so I choose MS Dhoni.”
Sanjay Manjrekar, Daren Ganga, Scott Styris, Mike Hesson, Dean Jones, Russell Arnold, Simon Doull and Graeme Smith were also part of the panel.
