Why I hate Dhoni

I have not watched a cricket match in quite some time now. Highlights- yes - but not the full "entertaining" show; not even the T20s and the IPL. Part of the disassociation with my national pass-time is time zone, part is indifference. You grow in and you grow out. Not surprising. I have yet to complete the last Modern Warfare campaign and Ghosts is looming in the horizon. The 15 minute highlight package of IPL and Champions Trophy matches, strewn on torrent servers, has done just fine. Just as forays into 3rd party single campaign games on the PS3 have replaced my online midnight MW capers.

 But there are some things you cannot get away from. Like awaiting PS4 and Ghosts. Like knowing all packs that have been released on MW, even though never downloading any of them. And like following the IPL and the Champions trophy and all cricket online.

And doing so - remaining in touch and yet so very distant - there is one singular thought that has surfaced way above the others. Hate IPLs. Give me a break from match fixing. Don't kid me commentators. They all count. But there is one that surfaces above all. I hate Dhoni.

So Dhoni is the "cool" captain. The one you can count on in crisis situations. The one who will not show any emotions no matter rain or shine. And while mortal players like Virat Kohli will celebrate victory a tad bit early, Dhoni does not betray any dread of losing early or late.

Steve Waugh patented the "emotionless" captain leading the boat. Graeme Smith, for every apparent "choke" that SA has done, seem to give nothing away. And yet I am different to those and others. The subtle difference being Dhoni is India's captain.

Steve Waugh, Graeme Smith, Chris Gayle and all other non Indian players - I do not care. With Dhoni I do. Virat Kohli, Shikhar Dhawan and Suresh Raina - whether I like them or not – I can smile or wince when they do their stuff. But Dhoni is a curve ball.

Match fixing trails in the IPL with direct leads on to Chennai Super Kings. Conflicts of Interest in business dealings. Wide chasm with the media. And yet there is no false step. Not a denial. Not a clever comment. No hint of owning up or coming clean. And a supposedly lucky streak that kicked in since he took over as captain and continues to this day.

I would like to see Dhoni fall. Follow the script. Like everyone before him in modern Indian cricket. And fall does not mean he is the bad guy or does something crazy. It just means he does the thing that is core to him that I can, as a viewer, savor to tear apart - like Kapil Dev continuing to bowl long after he should have been a coach. It means giving me an opportunity to criticize, as an arm chair expert, the capabilities that a Harsha Bhogle would; but in an equal capacity. I can do that now with his strategies, team combinations and game play choices - but that is not satisfying. I want to criticize him for what his reflection is - the "ice cool" captain of the Indian team. That which cricinfo statistics cannot lay bare for me.

And that is why I hate Dhoni. He does not seem to care what the media and viewers think of him. No explanations. No shenanigans. No playing to the gallery. He seems to do things his own way - like choosing to bowl seam on english summers. And much as I would like to call his "cool" charisma a facade, I cannot. He might be gagged by the BCCI. He might have utter disdain for the media and even for his supporters. But fault that, I cannot. I cannot fault his way - it gives me no satisfaction. the fall has to be when he slips in the way he treads. Like Ganguly did - to some extent. And I am a huge fan of Ganguly.

Dhoni presents me no such opportunities - at least he has none till date. I am sure the facade will break. I am sure he will fall. The slip between the cup and the lip will occur. That is but a matter of time. History, I would like to believe, is on my side. But till that day - and because I have not had that opportunity - I have to hate Dhoni.

Or at least till I play Ghosts. And attain nirvana.