Last week saw Mahendra Singh Dhoni (‘Mahi’) anointed the numero uno of ODI batsmen in the ICC rankings, beating Ricky Ponting, who now occupies the second spot. This is no mean feat for a player with just 16 months of international cricket, featuring only 42 ODIs. His aggregate stands at 1372 at an average of 52.8.

He made his debut in December 2004 in Bangladesh. It was a very ordinary start with scores of 0, 12, 7*, and 3 in his first 4 innings. Then came the inning that made the world sit up and take notice. Batting at No. 3, he pillaged 148 against Pakistan at Visakhapatnam, off only 123 balls. India scored 356 and won that match.

Watching that match, I was struck by a couple of things about this man. His shots to the fast bowlers were executed with a straight bat and consisted mainly of drives in the V. There were no cross bat shots, just plain, clean hitting with brutal power. For most of his 15 boundaries and 4 sixes, the result was obvious as soon as the ball left the bat, sparing the fielders unnecessary effort. To the spinners, he used his feet, hitting lofted drives and heaved pulls with refreshing simplicity.

Secondly, he exudes “attitude” in abundance. While causing mayhem with the bat, he looked unhurried and strangely calm, as if wondering what the fuss is all about. His fashionably long hair, the shake of the head and his rituals before facing every ball make him stand out. During that game, a swarm of bees invaded the ground and players hit the ground immediately. Only Dhoni stood tall, wandering around his crease while every other player was prostrate, face down, on the grass. Waiting for the others, he wafted the occasional bee from his imperious presence, wondering again what the fuss was all about!

Watching the match with the Match Referee, I had burst out loud saying ‘ I love this guy’. It is the mind that separates great players from the merely good.

Since that April afternoon Dhoni’s march has continued. He has performed consistently floating between No. 2 and 7 in the batting order. He now holds the record for the highest score by a wicketkeeper in an ODI – 183* against Sri Lanka. Had Sri Lanka scored more, batting first on that day, Dhoni would have probably broken the world record for the highest individual score.

His consistent performances over the last year have made him the fan’s favorite. His is the most popular player in India today, leaving the great Sachin Tendulker well behind. He continues to play with uncomplicated technique. He meets the ball with the full face of the bat and with great force. He has the uncanny ability to get under the ball, even to yorkers. This is made possible by a very quick eye coupled with the fastest bat speed in the world. When was the last time you saw a player hit a yorker for six over mid-wicket? I haven’t seen any other player hit it. If you have, let me know.

His style is unconventional but there is no arguing with his effectiveness. For someone who has scored at over a run a ball (103. 00), he has been a very good finisher of matches. He has scored 50 or more, 10 times. Eight of these knocks have resulted in victory for India. Players like Dhoni, Irfan and Yuvraj have transformed the fortunes of the Indian team in ODIs. The recent string of successes is certainly no coincidence.

Dhoni’s success is an inspiration to many and well deserved, to say the least. It is, however, just a start and we expect a lot more from him. I do not think that we have seen his best just yet. Here’s to a long stint at the summit of world cricket!

The next time we will make some comparisons and talk about Dhoni’s keeping. So long, folks!