Book Review | The Dhoni Touch - Flawless and beautiful
Sachin Tendulkar and Mahendra Singh Dhoni - two names that resonate with Indians like nothing else. While one signifies everything perfect about cricket and how to conduct himself on the field with grace and charisma, the other has been the cynosure of all eyes thanks to his mysterious nature.
Sachin Tendulkar is the batsman extraordinaire and almost a copy of a page from the text-book manual, but MS Dhoni is the complete opposite. His shots were never seen in cricket, his wicket-keeping techniques defies logic, and his cool demeanor would even put an iceberg to shame. For the people in India, the love for Tendulkar is a spontaneous one for being a superman and a genius. However, for them, Dhoni is a gift that has been wrapped so tight that even after 14 years in the National team, he still keeps on giving. He is the perennial suspense story but yet present everywhere.Â
And thatâs exactly why Bharat Sundaresan's first book, The Dhoni Touch: Unravelling the Enigma that is Mahendra Singh Dhoni, is so beautiful and important for everyone who wants to understand the man beneath that calm exterior. It is a book that takes us through the eyes of people for whom Maahi is still Mahi and who saw the typical Ranchi boy make giant strides to put the small town in Jharkhand on the international map. The lucid and easy-going writing captures the attention from the very first sentence that begins with, âWoh Dekho wahan Dhoni. Kuch cricket mein dhayan nahi hai uska, style bazzi karta rehta hai,â and then it flows to the hair-raising tales of, âArey yeh Ladki jaisa dikhne wala, dhabe mein khane wala, cricket kya khelega?â
Yes. Long hair and tattoos have never been the norm in the Indian society and the people didnât leave any stones unturned on Twitter to take down Virat Kohli for his tattoos after India's semi-final loss in the 2015 Cricket World Cup to Australia. And it was the same prism through which MS was judged by two cricketers when the writer, for the first time, saw the would-be Indian skipper at Hotel Taj Vivanta in Mumbai in 2005. But, like most things with life, Dhoni believes in blazing a trail for the future generation. âBal hi hai Sir. Ek din yeh style bhi change ho jayega,â Dhoni had told Keshav Banerjee, his childhood coach.Â
One might ask what is the point of writing one more book without interviewing the man himself and especially when his childhood was so well documented on the silver screen. It is a very fair point, but to understand that one needs to read the book first. Bharat has a vivid account of what made Mahi the Maahi and how the underlying belief and hard work presented India with one of its most beloved - Oh, and equally scrutinized - sons. "The Dhoni touch" enlightens the importance of friendship in oneâs life with stories from Paramjit Singh (Chottu Bhaiya), Keshav Banerjee, and Umakanta Jena among others. There are stories about Dhoniâs "
Dhoni has been conferred with an honorary Territorial Army rank in the elite Para Regiment. While for many sportspersons, with due respect, it is just a formality, Dhoni is not one of them. During the preparatory camp for the 2011 World Cup at the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore, Dhoni decided to make it to the Aero India show in Yelahanka and also completed his first parachute jump from an Indian Air Force aircraft in August 2015 in his bid to become a qualified para-jumper. And Bharat, quite passionately, explains Dhoniâs love for the Indian army and what it means to him and in my opinion is the must-read chapter in this intriguing book.Â
Without interviewing Dhoni, Bharat brought "the Dhoni touch" to his book thanks to the few conversations the duo struck up regarding the author's hair, which is longer than Dhoni had ever imagined to
The book is an earnest attempt to unlock the magnificent persona of MS Dhoni, a man whose contributions to Indian cricket is beyond numbers. There is a lot to it than what meets the common fan's eyes. Just like he used to create a bubble of his own and wrap the team in it before any big assignment. He seldom came out of that bubble when people questioned his ability - both as a batsman and as a captain. The book has peeled back yet another layer of Dhoni's much talked about life and readers are sure to understand what led to Dhoni becoming the human he is today.
207 pages
Penguin Random House
Rs 299/-
