Veteran Indian pacer Ishant Sharma has shed light on the key difference between the captaincy styles of legendary MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli based on his experience playing under both leaders. Ishant noted that Dhoni’s approach was rooted in going with the flow of the game, relying heavily on on-field decisions and intuition rather than extensive pre-match planning.
“Ishan bhai (MS Dhoni) ke team mein difference kya tha? Mahi bhai aise insaan hai jo field pe cheezein karte hai. Unko field pe karna pasand hai. The planning occurred based on the game situation,” Ishant explained on Raj Shamani’s podcast, adding, “What was different about playing under MS Dhoni? Mahi bhai was someone who did things on the field. He liked doing things on the field.”
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VK Captaincy
In contrast, Ishant described Virat Kohli’s captaincy as more structured and strategic. Kohli typically had a basic game plan in place before the match began, which the team executed while adapting to the evolving match situations and opposition tactics.
“With Virat (Kohli), that wasn’t the case. There was a basic plan, and then based on how things progressed, we assessed and made decisions. MS Dhoni was not a big believer in meetings. He had a simple funda that you will learn only if you make mistakes. He thought that if you made one mistake and how much time you take to make the next mistake, that is consistency,” Ishant added.
CT Final
Ishant also recalled a memorable piece of advice from Dhoni during the rain-interrupted 2013 Champions Trophy final against England. As many expected the match to be washed out, Dhoni emphasized the importance of self-reliance and faith in one’s own abilities.
During the high-pressure moments, Dhoni told the team, “Yeh match hoga, chhota hoga par yeh mat sochna ki bhagwan aake match jeetayega. Khud hi kuch karna padega, sab cheezein. Bhagwan pe maano, lekin khud pe vishwas karo” meaning, “This match will happen; it might be shortened but don’t think God will come and win it for you. You need to do everything on your own. Have faith in God, but also believe in yourself.”
This honest insight from Ishant Sharma highlights the contrast between Dhoni’s intuitive, in-the-moment leadership and Kohli’s calculated, plan-driven captaincy approach. Both styles have been crucial in shaping modern Indian cricket’s success.