Former India skipper MS Dhoni is widely deemed as one of the greatest ODI batsmen ever as he averages above 50 with 10,773 runs to his name in the 50-over format.
Acknowledging Dhoni’s remarkable record despite batting in the lower middle-order, ex-Australia batsman Michael Hussey on Tuesday (April 14) termed the veteran India wicketkeeper as the greatest finisher of all time.
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"Dhoni is the greatest finisher of all time that the cricketing world has ever produced," Hussey quoted as saying by PTI.
"Dhoni can keep his cool and make the opposition captain blink first. Dhoni also has unbelievable power. He knows that when he needs to clear the ropes he can do it. He has that kind of self-belief. Honestly, I didn't have that kind of belief in myself," he added.
The 44-year-old Hussey had the fortune of playing under Dhoni’s captaincy at Chennai Super Kings and that’s where he picked a trick or two from the chase master.
"I tried not to let it reach 12 or 13 runs an over. And I learnt this from MS Dhoni. He is incredible. He believes that he who panics last wins the game. So Dhoni would keep his cool, and keep it longer because the pressure is on the bowler as well."
Talking about the qualities of great players, Hussey said: "They don't hang on to a defeat for too long. If they lose, they move on quickly. They don't let a loss or a win hamper their thinking. They are always consistent, and level headed whether it's MS Dhoni or Ricky Ponting".
Dhoni’s achievement as a cricketer is surreal, to say the least. In particular, he has etched his name in the history books as one of India’s finest leaders.
Dhoni is the only skipper in the history of cricket to have won all the three ICC trophies – 2007 World T20, 2011 Cricket World Cup and 2013 Champions Trophy. The veteran campaigner has also led India to the pinnacle in Test cricket while he has captained CSK to three IPL titles and two Champions League trophies.
Asked what is the reason behind CSK's consistent run in the IPL, Hussey said: "Supportive owners who let the coach (Stephen) Fleming and captain Dhoni decide how to run the team, excellent chemistry between the coach and the captain, Dhoni's leadership.
"This has built an excellent continuity in the team. And once you have continuity, you build relationships and trust that otherwise takes time to grow."
(With PTI inputs)
