The crowd singing Vande Mataram during the 2011 WC final remains my most unforgettable career moment: MS Dhoni

MS Dhoni, who was in Vadodara recently to attend an inspirational campaign hosted by Parul University, was in a jovial mood. Happy about addressing students, he shared, “I am a big fan of youngsters.

Aanewala jo samay hota hai, it’s defined by them. They will be doing a lot of things for society in different fields. I am a big fan of passionate and hardworking people.” He added, “This is a very constructive and critical age. You often get defined by what you choose at this stage. Education now is also about what extra you are being taught apart from what’s there in the books. I started as a footballer but ended up being a cricketer.

It happened in school.”In a conversation with Maniesh Paul, Captain Cool spoke at length about his career, leadership, the secret behind staying calm during tense on-field moments and shared some priceless advice for students. Excerpts:‘Want the Indian women’s team to dominate world cricket now’I am delighted that our women’s team won the World Cup. It’s a huge achievement. It’s not like you win World Cups every now and then.

There are many good teams, and the competition is tough. They proved a point at the top level. They were very consistent and considering the kind of bench strength they have, women’s cricket is on the way up. I want them to dominate world cricket now. It’s a constant process, and there is a long path to follow, where they will pass the baton to others.

Indian cricket will only go up from here.‘I feel more tense when I am watching a match’When you play the game and when you watch as a spectator, you have different perspectives.

My heart rate goes up more and I am more tense when I am watching. Tension sab ko hoti hai, we are human. But when I am playing and captaining the side, jab woh moment mein hota hoon, tension thoda kam feel hota hai. Once, I was watching match highlights and even though I knew the result, I realised my heart rate was calmer while I was out in the middle! As a spectator, you are more concerned about the result.

But when you are out there as a player, the focus is more on what needs to be done at that point, toh result thoda out of focus ho jaata hai, your heart rate is more in control. When someone is batting and I am in the dressing room, I feel tense for a while. But then I tell myself, jo karna hai uss ko karna hai, main kyun pareshan ho raha hoon (laughs)!‘You have to find ways to motivate yourself’Everyone has a different way of motivating themselves. Once I was about to play for India, my biggest motivation was to make sure that I contribute to winning matches for the country.

Very few get the opportunity to represent India. It’s a special privilege. I knew it would be for a brief period...at that point, I didn’t know how long I would play for India. So, I would treat every day as special. In life, it’s the same. You have to find ways to motivate yourself.

Be passionate and work hard. For some, it (motivation) could be earning money, it could be naam kamana for others. It’s a very individualistic thing.

But when you are passionate about work, it doesn’t feel like work. It’s fun, enjoyable, and you give more than 100 per cent. Time management, being honest with yourself, and staying patient and disciplined are crucial. Culturally, we are a very rich country. We want to get modern and move ahead, which is good, but never forget our culture. Have fun but make sure not to cross certain boundaries.‘Important to pick the right person as your idol’We had a player who loved partying. He would sleep at 3am but would do well in the match on the same day.

Lekin uss ke saath jo banda jaata tha, uss ka career khatam ho jaata tha. As an individual, it’s important to identify what works best for you. For many successful people, very different things work. It’s not regimented, ki aisa karne se hi aap successful honge. It’s important to pick the right person as your idol. Ultimately, the choices you make have a big impact in your life.‘I had the worst possible debut in international cricket’Utaar-chadhaav life mein hota rehta hai. I had the worst possible debut in international cricket.

I was run out for zero after facing just one ball. But your mindset is important. For me, it was about how I would come back after this. After my first series, there was a gap of few months before we played against Pakistan in India. In the second match, I got the opportunity to bat at number three. I knew that was the best opportunity I would get (he scored 148).

But if I didn't do well, I was ready to go back (to domestic cricket), play for my state team, and come back better prepared.

Not giving up is one of the most important things in life. You must have self-belief. We can’t be successful all the time. You have to keep learning, adapt, and keep moving forward. Frame of mind is very important. In cricket, if a selector has come to watch your match, a good performance matters. In such big scenarios, it’s important to be in a positive frame of mind, believe in yourself, and stay calm. Confidence comes from preparation.

If you prepare well and trust our skills, you will do well.‘Important to know your colleagues well in a team sport’As a cricketer, if you are playing all three formats, you spend more time with your teammates than with your family. Insecurities rehti hai, that you may get dropped if you don’t perform well. It’s important to know your colleagues well in a team sport. You need to know when someone needs space, and it’s important to give that space.

I may be in the mood for some banter and jokes, but if another person isn’t in that zone and you interfere, things can get ugly.

Team spirit is very important. It’s also important to remember that people change as they become older. You may have played with a person at the under-19 level, but when you play again together for the senior team, he may be a different character.‘Bhagwan kare India sau baar WC jeete’There have been many special moments in my career, but the most special moment probably came during the 2011 World Cup final at the Wankhede Stadium.

About 15-20 minutes before we won the match, the crowd started singing Vande Mataram. It’s not a very big stadium, and all the noise stays inside. It (the singing) wasn’t synchronised; it was like a Mexican wave, but more vocal. It was so touching— the best atmosphere, the best feeling.

...being out there, it got me emotionally very high. India dobara bhi jeetegi, in both men’s and women’s cricket, Bhagwan kare sau baar jeete. But considering how the game started, what we went through, that moment will remain very special. It’s difficult to recreate such moments. During COVID, when we played without spectators, environment alag lagta tha...it was tough. Cricketers love playing in front of packed stadiums.Some LOL momentsDhoni was in the mood for some fun. When comedian Kiku Sharda told him, “Sir, you have 75 bikes. Mujhe bikes dhone ka contract de do...

₹2000 per month for a bike, and I will earn ₹1.5 lakh every month.” To this, MSD said, “Meri biwi mujhe bike dhone ki ₹500 bhi nahi deti, aap ko main ₹2000 kahan se doon?” When Maniesh reminded him about a funny stump mic incident, where he was angry at Sreesanth, he smiled, “Mujhe aaj tak samajh nahi aaya...ground gol hai...toh aap peeche kyun dekh rahe ho? Frustration hota tha.

..toh kisi ek ko bol diya tha maine, ‘Bhai tumhari girlfriend nahi baithi hai udhar, idhar dekho, match iss taraf ho raha hai!’”‘I love driving motorcycles every day’I love driving motorcycles every day. If I am in Ranchi, I drive 40 to 50 kilometres daily. But I would urge youngsters to remember that bikes are not for racing, but for commuting. Galti aap ki ho, yaa na ho, if you are driving a two-wheeler, chot aap ko zaroor lagegi. So, drive carefully and don’t be lost in thoughts. Enjoy, feel the breeze on your face, but be careful.