'I Feel Equally Frustrated, Feel Angry At Times' - MS Dhoni Bursts Myth Of Being Captain Cool

MS Dhoni has not spoken publicly ever since the Indian cricket team's semi-final exit against New Zealand in the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup. The former India cricket team skipper has been on a two-month sabbatical ever since the World Cup, having made himself unavailable for selection for the West Indies tour and for the three-match Twenty20 International series against South Africa. During this period, there has been plenty of speculation on Dhoni's future and under the soon-to-be BCCI President Sourav Ganguly, there will be a discussion with the selectors about Dhoni's future. 

In his first interaction at a commercial event ever since the end of the World Cup, Dhoni has busted the myth of being 'Captain Cool' and said he controls his emotions better than other players. "I am like everyone else but I control my emotions better than some of the other individuals. I would say, I feel equally frustrated. I also feel angry at times, disappointed. But what is important is that none of these feelings are constructive. What needs to be done right now is more important than any of these emotions. What is the next thing I can plan? Who is the next individual, whom I can use? Once I get into it, I am controlling my emotions in a much better way," Dhoni said. 

When MS Dhoni relinquished the captaincy at the end of 2016, Virat Kohli took over and has made India into a powerful force. However, the team have stumbled in major tournament, losing in the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy final to Pakistan and a semi-final exit in the 2019 World Cup. Under Dhoni, India won all three major ICC tournaments and he is the only skipper in history to have achieved this feat. Dhoni spoke about how to approach a big tournament and recalled a particular instance in the 2007 World T20 when India and Pakistan played the bowl-out to determine the winner in the clash in Durban.

"What you want to achieve as a team is to win the tournament but that's a long-term goal. Ultimately, what you do is to break it into smaller things. There was something particular about that World Cup. The 'Bowl-Out' was one of the things. I remember we would go for practice. Before every practice session, we would practice 'Bowl Out' before or after the warm-up.  We said it very clear, it is for fun but at the same time, whoever hits the wicket most number of times, we will use him if the situation arises. It has got nothing to do with I am a bowler, this is my job. It's like a performance thing and we will keep doing it everyday and whoever has the best hit-ratio are the ones who will be used," Dhoni said. 

Also Read | Sourav Ganguly's First Reaction On Dhoni's Retirement After Taking Over As BCCI Chief

Dhoni said team effort can never be discounted despite the many individual performers. "Ultimately, winning or losing comes to each and every individual who is part of the team. In team sport, everybody has a role and a responsibility. Throughout the T20 World Cup, the roles and responsibilities given to individuals was fulfilled to the best manner possible. That was the reason we won the tournament. It's not always about few of the individuals performing a lot better than the whole lot. What you want is for everybody to contribute. That one wicket at that right moment, that outstanding catch," the former India skipper said.

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