MS Dhoni and Harbhajan Singh. (Photo Source: Twitter)
The Indian team achieved laurels under Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s leadership. The legendary wicketkeeper-batter proved why he was the best in business not just as a player, but as a gritty leader too. He has contributed brilliantly not just to the Indian side, but also to the Indian Premier League franchise Chennai Super Kings, leading the team to four title wins since the inaugural edition of 2008.
MS Dhoni became the only male captain ever, to win all three ICC trophies- The T20 World Cup 2007, the ODI World Cup 2011, and the Champions Trophy 2013. India possessed a star-studded batting lineup during this time, with Sachin Tendulkar leading India’s batting unit and players like Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh bolstering the bowling attack.
When it came to bowlers, Harbhajan Singh replaced Anil Kumble as India’s top spinner while Zaheer Khan commanded the team’s pace assault. Harbhajan was an integral component of India’s victories in 2007 and 2011, helping the squad to both victories. But the former India off-spinner, however, revealed that the best time of his career was playing under Dhoni at the IPL while representing CSK.
“Unbelievable. Those 2 years probably were the best years that I played cricket. No stress, no drama. You just go out there, don’t worry about the result. Even if you lose, it’s fine. This was something different. It was very enjoyable. Everybody was together. Not just the players, but families as well. We used to travel around India with a lot of people, so it was great fun,” said Harbhajan during a chat on Star Sports.
When CSK lifted the title for the third time in 2018, Harbhajan was a part of the team and played a key role as the team’s most experienced spinner. CSK defeated Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL 2021 final to lift the trophy for the fourth time, and interestingly, Harbhajan was a part of the rival side that year.
Chennai Super Kings had a forgettable outing last season, as they finished at the ninth position in the IPL points table, failing to make it to the playoffs. The team had a good auction this time around, and Dhoni will be aiming to take the side to their fifth title win.