Highly successful with CSK, Dhoni has had poor start with his new franchise RPS, leading them to four straight defeats
If IPL were to be a kingdom, Mahendra Singh Dhoni would have been the uncrowned king of it.
Two titles and four runner-up finishes in eight IPL seasons is a record that no other captain can boast of. However, all those successes for Dhoni have come while leading the now-suspended Chennai Super Kings.
For his new team, Rising Pune Supergiants, it hasn't been a happy start for arguably India's most successful captain in all formats of the game. Four successive defeats in five games in this season is something the Jharkhand man isn't used to, at least in the IPL.
Figure this: In terms of number of victories, captain Dhoni is way ahead of anyone else in the IPL. In 134 matches, he has registered an astonishing 79 victories till date. Only Kolkata Knight Riders captain Gautam Gambhir, who also led Delhi Daredevils, comes next with 65 triumphs in 96 matches, followed by Australian great Adam Gilchrist with 35 wins in 74 ties while playing for Deccan Chargers and Kings XI Punjab.
The last defeat for Pune came at the hands of Gambhir's Knight Riders, in which Dhoni & Co failed to defend a competitive total of 160 posted by their strong batting line-up.
Incidentally, Pune's start to the season was promising, comprehensively defeating defending champions Mumbai Indians in their own backyard. Post that game, however, Dhoni's team has failed to carry on the momentum, losing four straight games to Gujarat Lions, Kings XI Punjab, Royal Challengers Bangalore and then Kolkata Knight Riders. They face the Sunrisers Hyderabad in Hyderabad on Tuesday, and another loss there could make it really tough for Dhoni to take his team to another shot at the title.
"No excuses for us," a disappointed Dhoni said after the game against KKR on Sunday. "It's not about what should have happened. It's about how you execute your plans in the field. That is when you relish it and what it takes to win games in the pressure, we are definitely lacking it, especially the bowling unit.
"Someone like an (M) Ashwin, he is new and he will feel the pressure. You can advise individuals but when you have the ball, nothing can be done for you. Overall, there are plenty of areas where we have to improve," he added.
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While Dhoni may have lost his CSK lieutenants in the Rainas, Jadejas, Bravos, McCullums and Nehras to other franchises, he still has a quality team to work around. Ajinkya Rahane is too good as an IPL opener, Faf du Plessis has been an old hand from his CSK days, while Australian Steven Smith is a proven match-winner with the bat. A calf injury to Kevin Pietersen, a T20 pro, that ruled him out of the season might have dampened Dhoni's plans a bit.
On the bowling front, he has his favourite Ravichandran Ashwin, although he is struggling at the moment. Then there's another quality spinner from Tamil Nadu, leggie M Ashwin, who has done decently so far. But, as Dhoni himself admitted, their bowling remains their a weak link.
Former CSK and current Pune coach Stephen Flemming was optimistic of a turnaround, though, saying the team is working hard to get back on track.
"We just need to move on. As a new team, we are trying to develop a culture and some camaraderie, it does take a lot more work. We are working hard but it's tough," he said. "What we are not doing is winning and that's all what matters. I was pretty angry with the way things went (on Sunday). So my morale needs to be boosted. But I have been in the IPL long enough to know we have to sleep on it. It is becoming pretty clear we have to get victories. Even in the last three games, we had good chances of winning," Fleming added.
If Dhoni has lost four and won one, it has been reverse for his good friend and old IPL teammate Suresh Raina, who seems to be doing extremely well as a captain for Gujarat Lions. And by the looks of it, Raina has learnt a few tricks of the trade from Captain Cool himself.
However, it is still early stages in the tournament. And with Dhoni, one knows that a surprise, or a fightback, can never be far away.
DHONI AS IPL CAPTAIN
Teams Mat Won Lost No Result Toss
CSK 129 78 (60.47%) 50 (38.76%) 1 (0.78%) 64 (49.61%)
RPS 5 1 (20%) 4 (80%) - 3 (60%)
Overall 134 79 (58.96%) 54 (40.30%) 1 (0.75%) 67 (50%)
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