Indians need Dhoni's calm

A usual day for Mahendra Singh Dhoni at nets starts with a game of football, then he proceeds to the practice facility with that military-attired kitbag, watch his top-order colleagues in action, while waiting for his turn to bat.

On another day, he would have also found time to play pranks on some of his teammates. But on a blazing Monday, Dhoni was in a more proactive mode. Once he deposited the kit near the rest area, Dhoni didn’t wait for fielding coach Trevor Penny to join the nets and start throw-downs.

Dhoni himself took the throwing-gear and gave throw downs to M Vijay and Shikhar Dhawan, also having a chat with them in between the deliveries with bowling coach Joe Daws chipping in. Might it have been a move to contribute one more person to the training? Might it have been a reflection of his desire to take things in his own hands, and shape the future of a young team?

It’s hard to say with conviction the precise nature of Dhoni’s line of thought in that net session. But one thing is certain that the Jharkhand man will have to show the way to a team bereft of some modern day giants. With the retirement of Sachin Tendulkar, Dhoni is the most senior batsman in this side, having made his debut in 2004.

Dhoni definitely does not fall into the category of those giants of batsmen who had left the stage – in style or in technique. But in one aspect Dhoni does stand shoulder-to-shoulder with them – the fighting spirit. He doesn’t yell obscenities or engage in animated celebrations, but he gives vent to this competitive flair in a rather subdued way.

As skipper, he stands behind the wicket, watching every move on the field like a hawk – even the field change is done with minimal gestures. When he comes in front of the wicket too, minimalism is his watchword.

Long gone is that brazen batsman who cut bowling to ribbons, and on view now is a matured batsman who knows when to transform into an enforcer. Most of the time, Dhoni resorts to taps and dabs with minimum back-lift and follow-through to accumulate runs, and the only time the vintage Dhoni surfaces when he plays that patented helicopter shot or launches the ball into the long-on/off stands with a thunderous swing of the bat.

It may look demure, but lessons are to be learnt from Dhoni’s restraint – an aggressive approach may not yield results especially if the bowlers you face have names like Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Vernon Philander. You would require tremendous amount of patience to withstand the constant pounding, and Dhoni can lead the way here.

In fact, Morkel has already sounded a warning about the pitch at the Wanderers. “It has always been bouncy and quick (the Johannesburg pitch). Pace and bounce is going to be crucial for us and it boils down to how we use it.

“Top of the off stump and the odd bouncer is still the winning combination. That’s what we need to concentrate on. If we stick to that and create some pressure, that will be our recipe for taking 20 wickets,” said Morkel.

It’s clear – the SA pacers are ready for an all-out attack and that’s something this young team – except Virat Kohli – have not experienced in its fullest. They might have heard about it, watched videos of it and some players like M Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara have gone through it on occasion, but they need a soothing voice and comforting hand around their shoulders before meeting the fire.

At present, only Dhoni can offer that having toured South Africa on two occasions in 2006 and 2010, and also being the commander of the ship. It’s a tricky situation and heavy burden – he needs to deliver as captain and batsman on the field, and as an elder brother off it.

It’s a demanding task even for someone like Dhoni, who has a vast reservoir of energy. But trust him not to give up without a fight for his and team’s legacy is hinging on it.