R Ashwin Hits Bullseye, Explains Difference Between MS Dhoni And Other Captains

Ravichandran Ashwin simply put the characteristic in the light, which sets the iconic MS Dhoni apart as a captain from the rest. Dhoni, considered among the top captains that grace the field, hung down his boots after lifting every trophy he laid his eyes on. In 2007, Dhoni turned a young Indian side into T20 World Cup champions in the tournament's inaugural edition. Four years later, he became the first captain to inspire India to an ODI World Cup title since the Kapild Dev-led 1983 World Cup-winning team.

In 2013, when the odds were stacked against the Indian side, Dhoni captained the Indian team to the ICC Champions Trophy with immeasurable calmness.

As the duo prepare to reunite at the Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2025, Ashwin emphasised Dhoni's simplicity of sticking to the basics makes him different from others.

"It is a very simple question to answer. In my head, I think he does most of the basic things right, and most of the other captains miss the basic elementary things, which makes the game look much more difficult for them," Ashwin said while speaking about Dhoni's captaincy on Sky Sports Cricket podcast.

Ashwin narrated an example to outline the freedom with which Dhoni allowed his bowlers to express themselves but left no room for complacency.

"He would never, for example, give the bowler the ball. The first thing he would say is to take your field and bowl to the field. He hated the fact when a batter came to bat and you gave a loose delivery, he wouldn't take me off bowling. If I gave two three boundaries in an over, that is well earned," Ashwin continued.

"If I gave a new batter a ball to cut or drive, he would be livid. He would make me feel my place, and he would take me off bowling. That is a very basic