MONDAY, AUGUST 17, 2020 14 Tactics not important in Hinterland to centrestage, Dhoni Champions League, says Guardiola ends journey with enigma intact On Saturday, Dhoni shocked an unsuspecting nation, announcing his exit from international cricket with a cryptic Instagram message stroke against Pakistan. Dhoni’s biggest He also transformed himself Pep Guardiola • into a formidable ‘finisher’, se- legacy would be as curing India’s 2011 World Cup Reuters | Lisbon India’s ‘Captain Cool’ victory by hitting a six in the who was also one final against Sri Lanka. anchester City coach of one-day cricket’s Age, however, appeared to MPep Guardiola stood catch up with him in the World by his decision to shake up greatest finishers Cup in England last year. his side’s tactics in their He struggled to time the ball Champions League quar- Reuters | New Delhi even against mediocre attacks ter-final against Olympique and failed to provide the late Lyonnais after his team suf- he crestfallen look on assault that he once routinely fered a shock 3-1 defeat by Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s delivered. Those wild, flowing the unfancied French outfit. Tface was beamed across tresses that was once a rage Guardiola strayed from the subcontinent as the then among the youths in rural In- the 4-3-3 formation with 23-year-old -- his silky black dia, have now been replaced by which his side had out - mane cascading on his broad greying sideburns. classed 13-times winners shoulders -- appeared gutted af- An enigma throughout his ca- Real Madrid in the last 16, ter a nightmarish international reer, Dhoni quit test cricket in instead fielding a back-three debut in 2004. the middle of India’s 2014 series including vastly inexperi- Dhoni had fallen for a first ball in Australia. enced Erik Garcia, 19, as the duck in Chittagong, and in the On Saturday, he again shocked central defender. cruellest of manner -- run out. an unsuspecting nation, an - “In this competition the For much of the next decade- nouncing his exit from inter- tactics are not the most im- and-half, Dhoni subjected rivals Mahendra Singh Dhoni walks back to the dressing room ahead of his teammates after a match (file photo) national cricket with a cryptic portant thing,” Guardiola to such agonies -- from behind Instagram message. told a news conference. the stumps, with the bat, and trademark ‘helicopter shot’, a ranked test nation in 2009. His fairytale rise from In - “They (Lyon) are so fast as a shrewd captain of a highly culmination of violent convul- And he led a cricket-mad na- dia’s cricketing backwaters of and our central defenders successful team. sions involving his arm, wrists tion of 1.3 billion with ice in his Jharkhand sounds like a sto - are not so quick so I didn’t Three and half months after and torso. veins. ryline straight out of a Bolly- want to leave them two ver- that forgettable debut, Dhoni Dhoni wrote his own keep- KNOW WHAT “It’s almost as if he doesn’t wood script. In reality, it’s the sus two. announced his arrival with a ing manual too, barely moving have them; a performance-en- other way round. “We worked for three breath-taking 148 off 123 balls hands sideways before gather- hancing gift from birth,” India’s Known for his fondness for days on this, we discussed against Pakistan in Visakhap- ing the ball and rather thrusting former mental conditioning bikes and military fatigue, Dho- it and we reviewed this and atnam. them down to pull off electric Dhoni is the only coach Paddy Upton wrote about ni’s stellar career inspired a 2016 when you play like we did in He wielded the willow like a stumpings. captain to win all ICC Dhoni’s control over emotion in biopic “M.S. Dhoni: The Untold the last 20 minutes it shows mace and his batting was less His biggest legacy, however, trophies -- T20 World his memoir. Story” which was a roaring box the system is not the prob- technique and more pyrotech- would be as India’s ‘Captain office success. lem.” Cup in 2007, 50-overs Inspiring decision nic. Cool’ who was also one of one- World Cup in 2011 and Such has been his influence Garcia was badly caught He did not have the steely de- day cricket’s greatest finishers. Champions Trophy Dhoni’s penchant for taking that successor Virat Kohli still out of position for Lyon’s fence of a Rahul Dravid or the Dhoni is the only captain in 2013. Under him, inspiring decisions was best il- considers Dhoni his captain. second goal, while the de- silken touch of a VVS Laxman to win all ICC trophies -- T20 lustrated in the tense final of “The world has seen achieve- fence also slipped up badly but Dhoni made up with his World Cup in 2007, 50-overs India also became the 2007 World Cup, when he ments, I’ve seen the person. for the opening strike from muscular ingenuity. World Cup in 2011 and Cham- the top ranked test famously asked an unheralded Thanks for everything skip. I Maxwel Cornet, who was He converted the yorker into pions Trophy in 2013. Under nation in 2009 Joginder Sharma to bowl the tip my hat to you,” Kohli said on allowed a free strike at goal a scoring opportunity with his him, India also became the top final over in a tactical master- Twitter on Saturday. from outside the area. Belinda Bencic latest to Halep beats Mertens to win WTA Prague Open Ruthless Bayern Reuters | London must build on Barcelona rout, withdraw from US Open op seed Simona Halep won Reuters | New York Tthe Prague Open, the sec- says Boateng ond post-lockdown WTA event, AFP | Paris orld number eight Be- after beating Belgium’s Elise Wlinda Bencic has with- Mertens in straight sets yes- erome Boateng yester- drawn from this year’s US terday. Jday praised the form of Open, joining a growing list of Romania’s Halep, the “world-class” Alphonso players who have decided to 28-year-old reigning Wimble- Davies and said treble-chas- skip the tournament amid the don champion and world num- ing Bayern Munich must COVID-19 pandemic. ber two, beat the 23rd-ranked stay focused in the wake of Bencic on Saturday an - Mertens 6-2, 7-5 in an hour and their Champions League nounced her decision on 33 minutes. demolition of Barcelona Twitter where she also said Belinda Bencic It was her 21st career WTA when they play Lyon in the she would skip the Western & there in the coming weeks the title, making her the fifth most semi-finals. Southern Open which is being best of luck.” successful active player behind “I don’t know whether held in New York this year in- The Swiss, who reached the Serena and Venus Williams, the others read the papers, stead of Cincinnati as a lead-up semi-finals of the US Open last Kim Clijsters and Petra Kvitova. I certainly don’t much, to the Aug. 31-Sept. 13 US Open. year, is the latest top-10 player Mertens took a 2-0 lead in but we know that it is al - “I have made the difficult on the women’s side to skip the the first set but Halep then won Simona Halep reacts after winning a point ready behind us,” Boateng decision to skip the US swing major, joining Australian Ash seven games in a row to win said of Bayern’s stunning in New York and will return to Barty (one), Canadian Bianca that set and start the second on Monday. 8-2 hammering of Barce- the tour starting in Rome next Andreescu (six) Ukraine’s Eli- on a high, extending her lead “Now it’s too fast to take a lona in Friday’s quarter- month,” she said. na Svitolina (five) and Dutch- to 4-2. decision, I just want to enjoy final. “I am looking forward to re- woman Kiki Bertens (seven). Leaning on her superb back- this victory and then I will have “It’s clear that a result turning to New York next year Her decision means three hand, Mertens put Halep under a thought about the US Open,” like that doesn’t happen and wish everyone competing of last year’s semi-finalists pressure with her aggressive 21 she added. every day, but it doesn’t have withdrawn, with Serena display, coming back for a 5-4 WTA titles have been Earlier on Saturday, Czechs count for anything from Williams the only one of the lead. won by Simona Halep in Lucie Hradecka and Kristyna now on,” he added. “Now four set to take part at Flushing But that was it from the her career Pliskova won the Prague Open we really want to reach the I have made the Meadows. 24-year-old Belgian as Halep doubles after beating Monica final.” difficult decision to The United States Tennis won the next three games to Niculescu and Raluca Olaru of Thomas Mueller and sub- skip the US swing in Association has decided to go seal the victory. Romania 6-2, 6-2. stitute Philippe Coutinho ahead with the Grand Slam “Even the first set was not “The second set was a little The tournament was played both scored two goals each New York and will without spectators while easy, she’s a great opponent and bit tougher but I was strong behind closed doors to avoid as Bayern crushed Lionel return to the tour players will be asked to follow it’s always tough to play against and that’s why I could win this COVID-19 contagion, and the Messi’s Barcelona, mark- starting in Rome next strict measures, including reg- her because she’s fast,” Halep match.” players had to wear face masks ing the Germans as favour- month ular testing, in a bid to avoid told the public broadcaster Halep said she would decide any time they were not playing, ites to win next Sunday’s f BELINDA BENCIC spread of the virus.