Dear MSD,
I come from a generation that has
grown up admiring and idolising Sachin Tendulkar. I have seen those days when
the whole of India used to switch off the TV sets when Sachin got out. With
Sachin no longer an active sportsperson, you are now the epitome of cricket for
me. As a cricketer and as a leader, you have achieved a lot already. However, I
think great leaders always relish challenges in the face of adversity. And if
ever there was a bigger challenge for you, it is winning the World Cup 2015
despite all adversities.
When I say adversity, I do not
mean the strong opposition that you will get from teams like Australia, New
Zealand and South Africa. I do not mean the alien conditions down under which
render our spinners toothless. I do not mean the lack of quality fast bowlers
in our squad who can peg the opposition back. You have seen it all, you have
circumvented it all in the past and you have emerged victorious.
Your real adversity this time is
the people of India. When you led India to World T20 victory in 2007, no one
even knew you properly to have any expectations. When you led India to World
Cup victory in 2011, the whole country believed from the beginning that it was
going to be our World Cup. The people of India were ready to support you.
Today, I see a sense of alienation. Every leader has his supporters and his
detractors. Your biggest adversity today lies in the fact that your detractors
have increased and your supporters are losing their voice. I would not be
surprised if people end up pelting stones at your house if you lose badly
against Pakistan on February 15, just like they did when Ganguly’s men lost
badly to Australia on a February 15 in 2003.
But I want you to march on in
this adversity. I hope you do not pay attention to the people who think India
Pakistan match is more than a game of cricket. I would prefer to lose many more
such matches if it comes with a trade-off of India winning the World Cup. I
hope you stand by your instincts and believe in yourself more than you ever
have. Your guts were all on display through Joginder Sharma in 2007 World T20
final, Ishant Sharma in Champions Trophy 2013 final and most importantly
through yourself in the 2011 World Cup Final, when you promoted an out of form yourself
ahead of the Man of the Tournament Yuvraj Singh and won it for India. I won’t
comment what I thought of those decisions back then. I will just say that
hindsight makes certain decisions look like masterstrokes. But hindsight being
the bitch it is, can also make certain decisions look like the silliest things
ever. The same hindsight will act as the weapon of many of your detractors.
They’ll look for ways to crucify you, but you must find a way past this
adversity.
I think you also realise that a
true leader leads by example when the chips are down. Let me be very candid
here, India needs Dhoni, the batsman, as much as it needs Dhoni, the captain. I
hope you do not end up like the leader of a dance troupe who strives so hard to
get the best out of his team that he forgets that in that troupe, he is
supposed to be the best performer on stage. You have a talented bunch of
cricketers at your disposal. They are ready to march ahead but they need
someone to show them the way. More than tactical leadership, they need leadership
by virtue of example.
And despite trying everything, if
you fail, I want you to know that I stand by you. I stand by you because if I
am expecting my leader to perform for me, I am willing to give in return what a
leader needs most - TRUST. So, just like I believed in Ganguly when he took a
tattered team into the 2003 World Cup, I believe you can do wonders with this
tattered squad in the 2015 World Cup. We as Dhoni supporters are looking to
find our voices back. Give us the reason.
Yours Sincerely,
Just Another Fan
