New Delhi(Agencies):Former
India pacer Irfan Pathan has revealed that World Cup-winning ex-skipper
Mahendra Singh Dhoni liked to control his bowlers when he started his captaincy
stint back in 2007 but came to trust them by 2013, a phase during which he also
became a calmer leader.
The 35-year-old Pathan, who
played under Dhoni as part of both the 2007 World Cup-winning team and the 2013
Champions Trophy-clinching side, said the years, as they went by, changed Dhoni
the captain in more ways than one.
"In 2007, it was the
first time and you understand that when you are given a big responsibility of
leading a team, you get excited," Pathan said on Star Sports' 'Cricket Connected'
when asked how Dhoni changed as a captain between 2007 and 2013.
"The team meetings were
always small though, both in 2007 and 2013 during Champions Trophy, just five
minutes meeting," added the bowler, who announced his retirement from all
forms of cricket earlier this year.
Talking about the one change
that he noticed in Dhoni, Pathan said, "...in 2007, he used to run from
wicketkeeping to bowling end in excitement and try to control the bowler as
well, but by the time 2013 came he was letting the bowler control themselves.
He was very calm and in control."
Dhoni has not played any
cricket since India's semifinal exit from the ODI World Cup last year. He led
the country in limited-overs formats from 2007 to 2016 and in Test cricket from
2008 to 2014. The 38-year-old is the only captain to win all ICC trophies.
Under his captaincy, India won
the 2007 World T20, the 2010 and 2016 Asia Cups, the 2011 ODI World Cup and the
2013 Champions Trophy.
Pathan said by 2013, Dhoni had
started employing the spinners in crunch situations to win matches.
"Between 2007 and 2013 he
gained the experience of trusting his slow bowlers and spinners and by the time
Champions Trophy came, he was very clear that in crucial time he needs to get
his spinners into play to win the games," he said. — PTI
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