1. Playing slow, 2007 T20 WC
Whoever would have thought of that? That is counter-intuitive. While most teams decided to attack from the first ball in this tournament as 20 overs were too less, Dhoni told his top order to go slow and steady, keeping wickets in hand for 6 overs and hit out only after that.
Thanks to this while most teams had at least one collapse, India came out with competitive scores throughout the tournament, used tight bowling and fielding to choke their opponents and won the tournament.
2. Uthappa in bowl-out, Pakistan match, 2007 T20 WC
In a bowl-out, five bowlers have to hit the solitary stump and claim points. Again intuitively, you'd get your fast bowlers charging down and knocking down that stump. That's what
Pakistan did when they brought in quickies Yasir Arafat and Umar Gul.
Both missed!
India began with part-timer Virender Sehwag, moved on to Harbhajan Singh and then we had batsman Robin Uthappa of all people. All three hit! The reason for that was Dhoni picked only those who were most accurate in the practice sessions for this and not his best bowlers!
When Shahid Afridi also missed it was all over for Pakistan and they went down 0-3.
3. Giving Joginder the last over, 2007 T20 WC final.
Pakistan needed 13 runs in the last over with a solitary wicket in hand to win the inaugural tournament. Harbhajan Singh had an over to go and some thought the wily and experienced spinner would be first choice.
However Dhoni turned to newbie Joginder Sharma and curiously told him to bowl as wide as he could instead of taking a wicket. After a wide and a six, Dhoni told him to stick to the plan and an in form Misbah-ul-Haq holed out and a catch sealed Pakistan's fate!
Dhoni had already experimented by giving Joginder the last over against Australia in the semi-finals though at that time the 22-run target in six balls seemed too much. Joginder played international T20 cricket for just about a week in his entire life.
No-one in the history of cricket had such a brief career and went out on such a high, his last ball ever winning us the World Cup!
This was not the first time that Dhoni would outthink his opponent.
4. Trying to hit a Yorker for a 6
Growing up we were told that if the batsman managed to keep his wicket intact when faced with a Yorker, then it was a big achievement. At best you could eke out a couple of runs and that would be great.
Dhoni had other ideas. He kept trying his best to hit that unplayable delivery out of the park. Initially it looked like an extremely ugly and awkward shot. When it was pulled off, it looked like a fluke. Then he did it again. And again!
Today we simply call this the Helicopter Shot and have taken it for granted!
5. Negative bowling with Australia, final Test at Nagpur, 2008
India was leading 1-0 heading into the fourth and final Test at Nagpur. India made 441 and at the end of the second day, Australia was in a commanding 189/2 in 49 overs, a healthy run rate of about 3.9. It looked very likely that the Aussies would overtake us. On the third day, Dhoni, in only his third Test as captain, told all his bowlers to bowl well outside off stump. This negative tactic got the commentators' goat and his defensive or negative tactics were blasted by everyone.
'He's playing for the draw and securing his 1-0 lead' cried the purists of Test cricket. But it worked. Australia totally imploded and on Day 3 scored just 166 runs in 85.4 overs at an abysmal run rate of 1.9 to end up with a total of 355 runs, well behind India. The attackers couldn't defend.
Then India came out all guns blazing and Virender Sehwag's 92(107) set the platform and a Dhoni half-century meant that Australia had to chase an improbable 382. We won by a crushing 172 runs in the end to take the series 2-0, so much for playing out for a draw!
This was a war strategy of a general: To make a tactical retreat, lull your enemy into boredom and then launch a final assault. Another Dhoni hallmark that stays with his game till this present day!
Credit : Sify