Dhoni has the x-factor, says Kirsten
At a recent corporate event in Mumbai, former coach of India Gary Kirsten, spoke about what defines MS Dhoni as a captain, why the need to give a sense of affirmation to Gautam Gambhir was crucial and what Sachin Tendulkar demanded of Kirsten
Akhila Ranganna
25-Feb-2013
At a recent corporate event in Mumbai, former coach of India Gary Kirsten, spoke about what defines MS Dhoni as a captain, why the need to give a sense of affirmation to Gautam Gambhir was crucial and what Sachin Tendulkar demanded of Kirsten. More in the DNA.
“I will never forget the first interaction I had with each player. Sachin said just one line — ‘I want you to be my friend’. It was a very powerful statement and only later did I understand it because you know when I look back, I felt ‘gee that’s easy, I can be a nice guy,’ but that’s not what he meant. He wanted me to be a genuine friend."
“One word that comes to my mind about Dhoni’s leadership is presence. I put the words — inspiration and presence — together, because I believe, I was in a position to inspire people through my work ethic whereas Dhoni was a leader for them through presence.
Akhila Ranganna is assistant editor (Audio) at ESPNcricinfo