India's Man of Steel

Despite being widely regarded as "the greatest finisher of the game", MS Dhoni has not been without his share of critics and doubters. Even after his heroics in Port-of-Spain, the skipper came under fire from various quarters for "leaving things too late". Sandeep Dwivedi of the Indian Express comes out with a staunch defence for India's most successful captain.

Dhoni avoids taking risks in the period between overs 45 and 49. Apparently blind to the escalating run-rate, he protects the tail-enders by conceding dot balls or taking singles. His agenda in such games is to be alive till the final over for that all-or-nothing face-off with the death bowler. It isn't so much a gamble as a dare. By virtue of playing countless close IPL games, possessing a multi-dimensional arsenal of strokes and a mind that never panics, the odds of untying the ropes and surfacing triumphantly over the waters favour cricket's Houdini. His final-over winning shots are as precious as gold dust for fans. They also provide a popularity spike for the game and give the team, keen to make a habit of winning, a boost.