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Mahendra Singh



 M  ahendra  Singh  Dhoni  attracted  the  highest




 bid  in  the  DLF  Indian  Premier  League  auction  –  the  Chennai
 franchise  paid  a  cool  $1.5million  for  his  services  –  and  it  is
 easy to understand why. He has become arguably the biggest
 and  most  glamorous  star  of  Indian  cricket,  which  is  saying
 something given the competition he faces. He mixes charisma
 with  dynamic  performances  and  trophy-winning  captaincy.  It
 is no surprise that major companies clamour to hire Dhoni to
 endorse their products.


 In the space of five months, Dhoni led India to victory in the
 inaugural  ICC  World  Twenty20  event  in  South  Africa  –  they
 overcame Pakistan in a memorable final – and then beat Australia
 2-0 to win the Commonwealth Bank Series, having already seen
 off Sri Lanka. There is no question that Dhoni’s leadership was
 crucial to his team’s success in both events. He was inspirational
 and brilliantly merged an exciting crop of young players with the
 ageing master, Sachin Tendulkar. The way he steered Chennai
 Super Kings to within one ball of lifting the DFL Indian Premier
 League merely underlined his credentials as one the calmest,
 most respected captains in the game.
 CAPTAIN


 Dhoni’s adoring fans love his movie star looks – although the
 once-long hair has been trimmed a touch – and his daring deeds.
 Few can hit the ball as far as Dhoni or run as quickly between the
 wickets. But these days he has added judicious shot-selection
 to  his  natural  power.  His  glovework  has  improved  beyond
 recognition,  too,  and  the  man  from  Ranchi  in  the  cricketing
 backwater  of  Jharkand  has  become  just  about  the  best
 Dhoni
 wicketkeeper/batsman in the world especially now that Adam
 Gilchrist  has  retired  from  international  cricket.  His  ability  to
 hit a yorker over long-on for six is one of international cricket’s
 great party-pieces.


 As a boy, Dhoni did not play cricket and instead excelled as a
 soccer goalkeeper. But, once he picked up a bat, his rise was rapid.
 He made his first-class debut at 18 and plundered 148 against
 Pakistan  in  only  his  fifth  one-day  international.  He  followed
 that with an amazing 183 not out from just 145 balls against Sri
 Lanka, an innings including 10 sixes. It was the highest score
 ever made by a wicketkeeper in a one-day international and the
 best individual total in a team batting second. In April 2006, he
 was briefly ranked the world’s No.1 batsman in one-day cricket.
 There was success in Test cricket, too, with an innings of 148
 against Pakistan in his fifth match.
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