Dhoni on leadership and small town India

The Indian cricket captain M.S. Dhoni is a brand ambassador for Titan Industries' watch brand Sonata. Dhoni was the star guest at a recent sales meet of Sonata where Titan's Managing Director, Mr Bhaskar Bhat, interviewed Dhoni on a variety of subjects, ranging from leadership to risk taking and about hailing from small town India. Excerpts of the interview — more relevant now after India's stunning victory in the World Cup finals led by Dhoni — published in the March 2011 issue of Trade Post, a monthly journal of the watch and clock trade and industry.

On his leadership style

I think what's very important for me is man management. Everyone is very different, with different temperaments. Sachin is as important to me as everyone else in the team. Everyone has a role to play. Man management is the most important factor, and along with this, the team spirit. However, what matters in the end, is the unity in diversity of thinking, which is needed for the entire team to succeed on the field as one.

On risk taking

Taking risks is as important in life as anything else. However, these have to be taken with adequate knowledge of the subject as well as proper homework. I have taken several risks as captain of the Indian cricket team while deciding on the same and its composition.

One of these, was, for instance, bringing in three spinners in a game instead of fast bowlers, which was rubbished by many team members in the past, who had said, how can you play T20 with three spinners.

However, since then, 70 per cent of the games are played with three spinners and this experiment succeeded. In fact, the team can manage and handle pressure a lot better, when risks are taken. One must analyse what needs to be done and then take a risk.

On being responsible as a cricketer

It's a responsibility, because I am representing the cricket fraternity. It's very important to be humble in life. We too have to be and act with responsibility. We have to be humble and in this respect, most of the new generation of cricketers are really nice people. Even if one has to be rude, there is a nicer way of saying the same thing. We are very careful about it.

On being from small town India

Indeed, certain facilities are not available in the smaller towns, but then this in itself makes a person belonging to a small town work much harder. These days, media is covering matches very well. As far as talent is concerned, there is enough of it in India. Small town boys and girls struggle more. By the time they make their debut, they are good performers. There are several instances on hand of people from smaller towns having shone brightly in different fields. There is also no distraction such as discos etc.

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