5 Players who were backed to the core by their captain
When a player enters a lean patch, the captain’s role increases manifold. It is time for him to pull from the front, push from behind, and say “I’ve got your back!”
2. MS Dhoni- Suresh Raina
ICC T20 World Cup? Check. ICC World Cup? Check. ICC Champions Trophy? Check. IPL? Check. Champions League Twenty20? Check. There are no unchecked boxes in the to-win list of this captain. If Ganguly pulled Indian cricket out of an abyss, Dhoni took it to the zenith. From becoming the No. 1 Test side to winning the World Cup after almost three decades, Indian cricket achieved immensely under him.
Having the skill to look beyond what is manifest is the hallmark of a great leader. A player Dhoni backed tirelessly was Suresh Raina, who made his ODI debut in 2005. Coming between the likes of Tendulkar, Dravid, and Laxman must’ve been intimidating for a lighthearted youngster like Raina, but Dhoni ensured that he exploited the presence of seniors to his benefit.
With some exciting left-handed batting and swift athleticism, Raina was like a breath of fresh air in an Indian team that had some aged legs. Just when Raina looked like a promising contender fixing his spot in the team, a disastrous knee injury thwarted his run.
No matter the era, making a comeback after an injury can never be easy in the Indian team. But much to Raina’s good fortune, his resumption coincided with the start of the IPL. Under the aegis of Dhoni, Raina proved his worth by performing to the fullest of his caliber.
Raina’s unstoppable run for his IPL franchise paid off and Dhoni was quick to lend support to a deserving candidate. Raina made a comeback and solidified his position as an integral cog of the Indian middle-order. He scored 4362 runs at an average of 38.94 in 153 ODIs under Dhoni’s captaincy.
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