About The Book

When Dhoni made his debut in ODI in Chittagong (Bangladesh), he was run out without opening his account. At the next ODI, he was caught while playing a pull shot. In the three match series, he scored only 19 runs. But those who reposed trust in him knew that once he got going he would outshine all his colleagues. This was proved during the match against Pakistan at Vishakhapatnam in 2005. He made Pakistani bowlers look like club rookies and announced his arrival with 148 off 123 balls. It was Mahi all over.

The book attempts a peek into Mahendra Singh Dhoni's persona that makes him an outstanding cricketer and a captain. Coming from Ranchi, a town not associated with cricket, to make it big at the international level was not an easy task. With quiet determination, he overcame one hurdle after another and achieved the captaincy of Team India in all three formats of the game. The book keeps the statistical details to a bare minimum and tries to present to Dhoni's fans several hitherto unknown or unpublicized facts related to his younger and struggling days, his temperament, his family, his beliefs and the changes he has brought to the dressing room atmosphere.

His story proves the axiom that champions do not depend on ideal conditions to reach the top, they rather adapt themselves and overcome the conditions made available to them. Indeed! this is the story of a local boy, who quietly dreamt big and went on to realize his dream… thus earning a permanent place in the history of Indian cricket, that too within such a short span.

About The Author

Arun Kumar Thakur is a teacher of English with Ranchi University. He has also worked part-time as a sports commentator and writer. Cricket has been his passion and he has been involved with cricketing activities at the district level at Ranchi and at the level of Jharkhand state, including manning selection committees.

Thakur first noticed Mahendra Singh Dhoni, ‘Mahi’, the day he announced his presence in the interschool cricket final with a double century. He has kept track of Mahi's progress following all the highs and lows of his career.