Kumble hails Dhoni's phenomenal achievements as captain

In the lead-up to Mahendra Singh Dhoni's first appearance for India since giving up limited-overs captaincy, accolades have come in from all corners. Both former and current teammates have hailed his impact, with a lot of social media tributes also capturing the celebratory mood while summarising the decorated ex-captain's contributions as a successful leader. On Thursday (January 12), current India coach Anil Kumble joined the bandwagon.Incidentally, Kumble has seen it all from close quarters - Dhoni taking nascent steps as captain of the Indian side, growing in stature as one of the best leaders and eventually relinquishing it after a long, successful stint. It was Kumble who handed over the mantle of Test captaincy on a permanent basis to Dhoni back in 2008 in the home series against Australia, and was the coach when Dhoni made his recent announcement to make way for Kohli in ODIs and T20Is."The first phase was probably easy for me, because I was old and it was easy for me to say, 'here MS (Dhoni), take over'. It was very difficult for me to continue at that point in time, the body was not willing. But I thought it was the right time for me leave as well because MS (Dhoni) was ready to take over the Test captaincy. He had just won the T20 World Cup and then the one-day format in Australia for the first time in a triangular series. He had done all the right things and I felt it was the right time for me. And of course, the body told me it was the right time as well," Kumble said.When Dhoni took over in Tests, one of the biggest challenges for him was perhaps, to manage the seniors in the right manner during what was a transition phase in Indian cricket. Dhoni dealt very well with the presence of the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir, and even got the best out of them, reckons Kumble."From there, from 2007 to 2017, I mean 10 years as captain is phenomenal. It goes to show the capabilities of MS as a leader. What he has been able to achieve during the transition phase, and also when the seniors left. It's not easy just coming into a team as captain and then having so many senior players. He managed them really well. Not just got the best out of them but also got the best for the team. Both as No 1 Test side and then later on winning the World Cup in 2011, then the Champions Trophy in 2013 and of course, many other victories that he has been involved in," Kumble opined."And probably in this team (current ODI team), other than Yuvi (Yuvraj Singh), everybody else has started their careers under MS, so that's the kind of transition that you may call that he has seen. It's been phenomenal to achieve what he has been to achieve as a captain."The end of 2016 brought down the curtains on a colossal era of Indian cricket with Dhoni at the helm, but Kumble believes the 35-year-old remains a leader and still has immense value to add to the current Indian side. His good equation with Kohli, particularly, will ease the process of taking the team forward for the current all-format skipper, Kumble felt."We all know the value that he brings as a player, as a batsman and keeper, and of course his value on the field with all the experience that he has. It's never easy to take a call, and hats off to him. That shows how selfless he is and he probably thought it was the right time for Virat to take over."It's great for the team to have MS on the field with Virat leading the side. Virat came into the side when MS was the captain, so the bonhomie and the bond that they have, it will only help Virat grow as a leader.""MS has been one of the best captains that we have had and in terms of results he has for India, he has been exceptional. So hats off to him and congratulations to (him for) all the things (he has achieved) as captain. Now really looking forward to MS as a batsman and keeper... and as a leader. He's still a leader in the team and that's something we will be looking forward to," Kumble said.