The Joginder Sharma Final Over
The scene was the final of the inaugural 2007 T20 World Cup. Arch-rivals Pakistan needed 13 runs from the last over with a set Misbah-ul-Haq at the crease. With experienced spinner Harbhajan Singh having an over left, conventional wisdom pointed to him.
Instead, Dhoni tossed the ball to the relatively unknown medium-pacer Joginder Sharma. The gamble seemed to backfire when Joginder started with a wide, and Misbah hit the second legal delivery for a six. With six runs needed from four balls, Misbah attempted a scoop shot over fine leg, only to lob the ball into the hands of Sreesanth. India became world champions, and Dhoni’s reputation as a fearless leader was born. Dhoni had told Joginder he would take full responsibility if the move failed, giving the young bowler the confidence to execute under immense pressure.
Promoting Himself in a World Cup Final
Chasing 275 in the 2011 ODI World Cup final, India was in a precarious position at 114 for 3 when Virat Kohli was dismissed. The entire nation expected the in-form Yuvraj Singh, the tournament's star player, to walk in next. Instead, to the surprise of millions, Dhoni promoted himself up the order. The logic, as he later explained, was two-fold. He wanted to maintain a right-left batting combination with Gautam Gambhir and, more importantly, he felt confident playing Sri Lanka’s key spinner, Muttiah Muralitharan, having faced him extensively in the Chennai Super Kings nets. Dhoni, who had a quiet tournament with the bat until that point, absorbed the pressure and played a masterful, unbeaten innings of 91, finishing the match with an iconic six that sealed India's World Cup victory after 28 years.
Trusting Ishant Sharma in the Champions Trophy
In the rain-shortened 2013 Champions Trophy final, India was defending a modest 129 runs in 20 overs. England, with Eoin Morgan and Ravi Bopara at the crease, seemed to be cruising towards victory, needing just 28 runs from 18 balls. Dhoni made a move that stunned commentators: he brought back Ishant Sharma, who had been expensive, conceding 27 runs in his first three overs. The decision looked disastrous when Morgan hit Ishant for a six. Yet, Dhoni persisted. On the very next two balls, Ishant dismissed both set batsmen, turning the match on its head. The over completely shifted the momentum, allowing India to clinch a nail-biting 5-run victory and making Dhoni the only captain to win all three major ICC trophies.
Unlocking Rohit Sharma, the Opener
For years, Rohit Sharma was a talented but inconsistent middle-order batsman. In early 2013, Dhoni made a long-term strategic gamble by asking him to open the batting in one-day internationals. This was not a one-off move but a permanent shift, a decision for which Dhoni faced criticism initially. Dhoni later revealed his thinking: 'We were like the amount of talent this guy has, I have to make him play. For that, if I have to make him an opener, I will do it'. The move proved to be a career-defining masterstroke. Rohit excelled in the 2013 Champions Trophy and has since transformed into one of the world's most dominant white-ball openers, scoring three ODI double-centuries and becoming a pillar of the Indian team.
