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World Cup 2015: Dhoni parts with Cup, not legacy

For once, let's set aside the fact that Team India were stopped in their tracks by a pumped-up Australian side on Thursday. And let's accept that there won't be a repeat of the surrealness of 2011. But would it, in any way, change your opinion of MS Dhoni? And would it, in any manner, harm his legacy? The answer is an emphatic no.

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For once, let's set aside the fact that Team India were stopped in their tracks by a pumped-up Australian side on Thursday. And let's accept that there won't be a repeat of the surrealness of 2011. But would it, in any way, change your opinion of MS Dhoni? And would it, in any manner, harm his legacy? The answer is an emphatic no.

When Dhoni led a talented bunch of 20-somethings into the World Cup, defending the crown would have been the last thing on his mind. There were issues, even if purely cricketing, at hand. Battered and bruised after an unforgiving Test series that showcased a lot of promise, the boys took another round of beating in the tri-series. Nine out of 10 fans gave India no chance of going past the quarterfinals, which the boys were expected to limp into by beating only the UAEs and the Irelands.

Things panned differently, didn't they?

Who would have expected this team to notch up seven victories, including thumping ones against Pakistan and South Africa? The batsmen got into the groove alright, but how many would have out money on the bowlers finding the mojo they never possessed in the first place. If nothing, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav and Mohit Sharma proved that bowling fast was their birthright too. That they fashioned India to triumph after triumph was testimony to their self-belief.

Yes, it's true that nothing quite went India's way on Thursday. But success is not always about winning trophies. Often, it's about the drive, the intent and the effort. India ticked all those boxes on seven out of eight match days. Guess you already knew that.

Which brings up the question: Where does Dhoni go from here? To quote the man, "I'm not sure about it. I'm 33, I'm still running, I'm still fit, but I'll have a year's time, maybe close to next year, during the T20 World Cup (in India) will be the time I would like to decide whether I'll continue till the 2019 World Cup or not."

That's perfectly justified. And in case he has a change of heart, then Virat Kohli will be ready to inherit the side of which he is the batting mainstay. For the record, this is what Michael Clarke had to say about Dhoni: "I heard you ask if it is going to be his last World Cup. I'm pretty sure it's not going to be, there's a lot of cricket left in his body yet."

At the post-match press conference, Dhoni didn't look weary defeated or distraught. He had no reason to. A proud man, he smiled and chuckled, knowing well that his boys came within two steps of realising their dream.

"Even before the start of the tournament, when we played the tri-series, we had a lot of problems to deal with, the cricketing problems, the form of the players, to manage the team. We were here for over two months, and we had another two months to go. All in all, it was a tough one for us. The Test matches didn't go our way, the tri-series didn't go our way, so it was important to have a good dressing room atmosphere, and all the members, including the support staff, they were just brilliant because if you have a good dressing room atmosphere, it's slightly easier to come back into form," he said.

"I felt everybody rose to the occasion, how the fast bowlers bowled throughout this tournament, how the spinners have done, learning from all their past experiences when we went outside India. All of that together contributed to the kind of performance that we have given in this tournament. Yes, I am disappointed we couldn't go into the finals, but only one team can win, and I felt they played better cricket on the day."

Admitting that the 329-target was gettable, Dhoni said the fast bowlers could have done slightly better. "I knew the wicket would get slightly better (to bat on) in the second half. When we lost the toss, I was a bit worried where I thought maybe the spinners wouldn't get as much purchase, but I felt (Ravindra) Jadeja and (R) Ashwin bowled well. And in hindsight, the good thing was we got a bit of reverse swing going, so I felt our fast bowlers could have bowled slightly better because I knew in the second half there wouldn't be much of reverse swing.

"That's the only reason I felt our fast bowlers could have done slightly better. But once we came back into the game and restricted them to 328, I felt it was a good score. Yes, there was pressure, but at the same time, it needed some good batting and good partnerships. It was a gettable score, but it needed some really hard work to get the runs on the board."

Asked about the legacy he would leave behind as an ODI player and captain when he does call it quits, Dhoni said what everyone expected him to. "Frankly for me, it doesn't really matter. For me, every time I turn up, what's important is to do something special so that I can be part of or I can contribute to the win," he remarked.

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