An intensely private person, Dhoni is known to open up only in the company of his close friends and associates. A man of simple taste and an unshakeable belief in his own ability, Dhoni has always relied on his instincts while making decisions, both on and off the field. And, by his own admission, he, and his team, have gained much by keeping things simple in the mind.
In spite of his super stardom, his friends insist that their ‘Mahi’ has not changed at all. Dhoni, who started off as a ticket collector with the South Eastern Railway, has long traded his black coat for designer suits. The flowing golden mane, that once drew admiration from former Pakistan president Parvez Musharraf, has been replaced by a spiky, well-gelled mop that has been greying at an alarming rate.
Much of the credit for polishing Dhoni’s raw cricket skills must go to Greg Chappell, the hard-nosed Australian coach under whom he flowered as a batsman and metamorphosed from a goalkeeper to wicket-keeper , but the manner in which he continues to carry himself off the field speaks volumes about the man’s confidence.
