Be it taking a jibe at his critics or hitting it out at the media, Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni is often in news for his comments. After clinching the Asia Cup Twenty20 cricket title from Bangladesh by on Sunday, here is how Dhoni responded to his detractors:
“Freedom of Expression” in India is used liberally by people when it comes to having an opinion on cricket.
I believe, in India, everyone has an opinion on issues and especially on cricket. There is freedom of expression and everyone is entitled to an opinion. Play like this, play like that, do like this, do like that. The problem is cricket looks a bit easier on television than when we play it at the ground
Well there will be a lot of criticism. If anyone asks me that what would you have liked to do, I would have said: ‘Playing cricket for India will be my first choice. I will never play for any other country’
Best for an individual is to take the middle part. Don’t get too bogged down by criticism and also don’t take yourself too seriously when you are praised. The media also balances it. If they take you up they will also bring you down. If you are up on a parachute, you can delay your coming down, but eventually you will come down. And then they will again throw you up
It would be putting a lot at stake, when you win nothing really. It’s like when you lose to Bangladesh, people would say like ‘You lost to Bangladesh’ and if you win they would say ‘It’s okay, you are supposed to win’. It’s just that there is a lot at stake but when you win you don’t take anything home
(With inputs from PTI)
(All images sourced from PTI)