Dhoni and the hero to zero syndrome - A Daily Download

Dhoni and the hero to zero syndrome

Sukumar Ranganathan - Thursday, April 09, 2009 2:37 PM

So, M S Dhoni can do no wrong.

India's cricket captain, who has been named by Wisden as  captain of the Wisden Test XI for 2008, is in that zone that many Indians in public life and several Indian companies have found themselves -- the zone where they can do no wrong.

Thus, Dhoni can afford to draw the third Test against New Zealand, after being in a position to win it, and not be criticised for it.  I can think of several Indian captains who would have been crucified for the decision, but not Dhoni.

If I were the Indian captain, I would be very worried (although Dhoni doesn't really look to be the kind of person who would like to worry about anything; wonder if he has read Kipling). The irrational love may soon turn into irrational hate. And then, Dhoni will again find himself in the zone where the same Indians Indians in public life and several Indian companies have found themselves -- the zone where they can do no right.

Many years ago, I met entrepreneur Ramesh Vangal who was then trying to make a go of his IT business and who had a term for this phenomenon : the hero to zero syndrome. I can't better that.

 

 

 

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12 Comment

From Anil Menon

April 9, 2009 4:36 PM
The arrogance of Dhoni has gone to that level that he feels he can do no wrong and had it been a Dravid or a Ganguly, they would have been burnt at the pole. "Hero to Zero - in no time indeed, Mr. Dhoni"

From Anonymous

April 9, 2009 4:47 PM
Dont you guyz have any sense, Just watch the game and enjoy. Dont ponder too much on the way the Indian captain thinks. Can you answer what you will do if Dhoni would have declared earlier and Newzealand has chased successfully without any rain on 5th day???? Then you will be the first person to say Dhoni should have declared late and saved match to safeguard Series win. So just instead of commenting on decisions made by Captain, sit back and enjoy the game of Cricket.

From sanjay

April 9, 2009 5:00 PM
I fully agree with Mr. Anonymous. We are very fast in commenting on others. It is just like KARO TOH MAROH- NA KARO TOBHI MAROH!

From Tushar

April 9, 2009 5:27 PM
What pressure a Captain faces is enormous, and that too Captain of Indian cricket team. Beacause the axe suffered by the leader is from those fans who don't understand cricket and those over smart expert commentrators. Every thing is fair in war...

From Tushar

April 9, 2009 5:32 PM
What pressure a Captain faces is enormous, and that too Captain of Indian cricket team. Beacause the axe suffered by the leader is from those fans who don't understand cricket and those over smart expert commentrators. Every thing is fair in war...Winning is important....That goes in records..

From VJ

April 10, 2009 1:10 AM
Its ridiculous on how irrationally you criticize a person. I strongly support Dhoni's decision in the third test; safe guard the series win rather than declaring early and hoping for the rain to save ourselves. The team still played well for victory without much regard to rain on the final day and we came pretty close in achieving it if not for the rain. You critics are ridiculous in criticizing the team.

From Jaspreet Singh

April 10, 2009 7:52 PM
it is totally uncool of others to critise that Dhoni has become arrogant and just doesn't care. coz these were the traits that helped him achieve tha cult status he enjoys today. so people jus chill.

From George Emmanuel

April 13, 2009 5:09 PM
I think Dhoni deserves to be arrogant. He's got us a cup, a top ranking,and making three former captains play under him, no normal feat!!!

From netkid

April 13, 2009 5:56 PM
Let him do his job guys... be with the team always.

From udai

April 17, 2009 7:28 PM
You are missing the bigger picture...by winning the first test and drawing the second...dhoni already had the series in hand. Had he risked chasing a win and ended up losing, he would have ended at a lesser position...than what he started with While other captain have only reached for draws...to draw the series or worse...reduce the losing margin

From potamus

April 22, 2009 3:15 PM
well Sukumar, i was about to defend Dhoni, but you are right about the 'irrational love' after going through all the comments. LOL

From Mridul

April 23, 2009 8:11 PM
I think what Dhoni did was wrong, had he declared a little earlier, we would have won the series 2-0 and that score truly would have portrayed the manner in which the Indian Cricket team played against the Kiwis in their own land. The meteorological dept of NZ had forecasted rain a couple of days prior to the last day, and he should have kept that in mind. Also, considering the previous records (406 is the highest total chased batting last in a test match), there was no point in giving them a target of over 600. And I agree with the author that if it had been Dada or the wall, they would have faced serious criticism from the spectators as well as the media.

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