‘When Dhoni walked down the stairs, I turned to Gary and said ‘Do you realise he is going there to fetch us the World Cup?’

The Prelude
June 24, 2010: 10 months earlier than World CupIndia was taking part in the ultimate of the Asia Cup
That morning on the breakfast desk, Gary Kirsten requested the query: “If this was the World Cup final, do you think we are ready as a team to go out there and win?” The reply, between bowling coach Eric Simons, Gary and myself was “No”. We don’t assume we’re able to win a World Cup if it have been right now. That actually sparked the dialog in earnest and element. Like what are the issues we have to do within the subsequent 10 months? We spent the subsequent 10 months, actually each single day, getting ready the group, in order that after we arrived on the World Cup, we might be prepared.
Natural Cup nerves
Feb 19, 2011: Game 1 (Bangladesh)Playing the opening recreation at Dhaka, Virender Sehwag blasted 175 as India strolled residence by 87 runs.
We didn’t put an excessive amount of strain on ourselves to try to win each one of many spherical robin video games. So I believe we went there with the pure nerves of beginning a World Cup, however as a group very ready, and luckily, pretty conversant in the sort of circumstances in Bangladesh as nicely.
We centered on the method and let the outcomes take care of themselves. It wasn’t simply rhetoric and ideas and concepts. It was one thing that we have been actually loving on the time, as greatest we might. We have been specializing in the method. The sort of cricket we have been taking part in, we knew that if we performed actually good cricket persistently for 100 overs of an ODI recreation, we might win extra video games than not. If we did that, we had an excellent likelihood of occurring to win the World Cup.
So we actually didn’t concentrate on shedding or profitable, however on the sort of cricket we’re taking part in. We knew at that time that we have been already taking part in good cricket all through the 100 overs of a one-day recreation, each with the bat and ball. The focus was to maintain taking part in the absolute best cricket and never fear an excessive amount of in regards to the consequence. In the opening match, it was the same old type of nerves, a mix of nerves and pleasure of beginning what was going to be a very large event, the place we had very large objectives.
After 4 unsuccessful makes an attempt in 1996, 1999, 2003 and 2007, Sachin Tendulkar was part of the group which received the World Cup in 2011.
How Ashwin noticed it coming
Feb 27: Game 2 (England)Zaheer Khan and Munaf Patel bowling India to an unimaginable tie.
Before the England recreation, Ravichandran Ashwin and me emerged out of elevators into the breakfast space on the identical time. I keep in mind it clearly, Ashwin asking me, “Paddy, do you believe in fate?” and I mentioned, “how come?” And he went, “I just believe that we are meant to win this tournament.” There was such a relaxed knowingness in regards to the dialog. It wasn’t someone making an attempt to consider or making an attempt to create a optimistic thought. It was a deep knowingness. I have to say I not often felt it earlier than and one thing in my head mentioned, ‘don’t get caught up on this’ however there was an actual sense.
The actual optimistic we took from that recreation was how we stood up and performed actually good cricket at key moments, after we wanted to manage the sport again. So that was an actual large optimistic that below that type of strain, in opposition to one of many greater groups like England, we have been capable of maintain our nerve. Particularly within the bowling division – we most likely went into that event barely stronger in our batting division. So it was very nice to see bowlers arise and be counted once they wanted to.
Munaf particularly bowled fantastically. We had labored fairly a bit collectively. What was actually nice was that Munaf actually opened as much as me and informed me about his youth and upbringing. I’m unsure how public it’s the place Munaf got here from and what he went by in his course of to changing into an expert cricketer. It actually is an incredible and heart-wrenching story. So in actually understanding the place he got here from, I used to be capable of join with him in his approach and in his “language”, so to talk.
For Munaf, it was not likely a lot about using sports activities psychology ideas, or concepts or instruments, because it was about having conversations to assist be certain that he was simply in essentially the most relaxed temper. He carried out very well when he was aggressive. If he wasn’t aggressive sufficient, he wasn’t engaged sufficient within the battle. And if he turned too aggressive, it will begin working in opposition to him. So it was actually simply to assist him keep in his very confrontational, aggressive mindset that will get him into the absolute best house. So he was truly an actual pleasure to work with as a result of he was actually open.
I used to be not sitting with him as a psychological conditioning coach however somebody actually thinking about listening to someone’s story, and his story is fascinating. So it was about one human being actually inquisitive in regards to the different with out intentionally doing it.
With 11 wickets, Munaf Patel was the third highest wicket-taker for India within the 2011 World Cup. (File photograph)
It all performed in Yuvraj’s arms
March 6: Game 3 (Ireland)The begin of Yuvraj Singh’s World Cup legend, he dazzles with each bat and ball.
In a approach taking part in the minnows did play into Yuvraj’s arms. They weren’t considerably high-pressure video games, and there was no bowler who was notably quick to hassle him. It was a reasonably medium-pressure expertise, bowling to their batsman and dealing with their bowlers. He has usually actually thrived in these average- or medium-pressure circumstances. So it actually did play into his favour, on high of him being nicely ready, and clearly, actually driving a wave of confidence on the time. So all of it simply performed into his arms.
At that point, there wasn’t clear proof that he was combating something. And I believe, luckily, he had additionally received himself most likely fitter than he had been for a lot of his profession and for that individual event. So it was the extra health that was capable of see him by the difficulties he would have been experiencing together with his respiratory.
It was not one thing that we observed and spoke about. In truth, it was solely in direction of the top of the event, and notably within the ultimate, that you just got here to know he was truly throwing up within the change room. It is then we began to note issues and even then, within the ultimate, he might simply excuse or cross it off as potential nerves.
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Not counting on a number of good males
March 9: Game 4 (The Netherlands)India stumble whereas chasing 191, Yuvraj to rescue once more.
It’s all the time harder in a event just like the World Cup to play an underdog. As the underdog, you don’t have anything to lose, there’s no disgrace in shedding. So you’re capable of totally specific your self. Contrarily, because the favorite, you’ve got all the pieces to lose, so one can take strain onto the shoulders. So that was most likely the issue, to try to not take the strain of being the clear favorite in these video games and to actually go on the market and concentrate on taking part in the very best cricket that we might play in opposition to barely weaker groups, these that aren’t of the identical high quality as a few of our different opponents.
But on the identical time, the entire preparation of the group for that event was that we can’t depend on anyone or two or three people to hold us by a lot of the event. Every one among us, in some unspecified time in the future, ought to be capable to arise and lead or ship for the group. If it’s not your day, what’s essential is to get in line and actually help the particular person whose day it’s. So we weren’t taking a look at Sachin or Sehwag to dominate each time. Or, because it emerged, Yuvi. It was a case of each particular person taking the sector and searching for for it to be your day, figuring out that solely two or three of you’ll even have the day as theirs. If it isn’t your day, then go and help the blokes who’re in good type.
Win or loss, Dhoni’s reactions are identical
March 12: Game 5 (South Africa)From cruising at 269/1, India endure their solely lack of the event.
Dhoni reacts equally to wins and losses, in that he doesn’t say very a lot in any respect. In the group conferences, he was very a lot Captain Cool. He largely allowed Gary to do the talking put up video games. Gary too could be very measured. He talked like there was little distinction between the 2 sides. The conversations have been across the identical strains, the sort of cricket we performed, the place we did nicely, and what might we do higher subsequent time. So between Dhoni and Gary, we had a really calm, level-headed management that didn’t get overexcited with profitable or overly involved with shedding. That went a great distance simply to assist gamers mentally. Mentally, they have been on a good keel by the ups and downs and pressures of a giant event just like the World Cup.
However, the defeat introduced a sure humility to our batting line-up. It made us actually realise that at no level can we relaxation on our laurels or take our foot off the pedal, even when we’ve had an unbelievable begin.
Another factor was a number of the batting stoop occurred in and round Dhoni, and we knew that wasn’t an issue. We knew that when it actually counted, Dhoni was going to return to the occasion. We didn’t assume he would take so long as he did. But we have been assured he was all the time going to return to the occasion.
We knew no group can contact us
March 20: Game 6 (West Indies)India’s most medical recreation. Yuvraj’s 100 takes India to 268, Zaheer Khan scalps three, Windies all out for 188.
We didn’t realise how essential it was to take your type into the knockouts in any event. We didn’t have that consciousness then – there weren’t sufficient T20 tournaments. Teams which might be up and down and even people who don’t begin nicely, study from errors. Those are those who take confidence from qualifiers. We positively knew that although we had good phases, we seldom performed the complete 100 overs the best way we all know we have been able to. That West Indies recreation was an actual confidence-booster. We began to see how tough we might be if we play to our potential. We knew no group can contact us. We began to really feel that after that recreation.
Yuvraj Singh acknowledges his half century as he stands with Virat Kohli throughout the Cricket World Cup Group B match between India and West Indies, in Chennai. (Source: AP)
We wanted Raina to ship, and he did
March 24: Quarter-final (Australia)Chasing 260, Suresh Raina’s thrilling cameo and Yuvraj’s fifty assist India win essentially the most tough World Cup recreation.
Almost each recreation, Gary would say: “It’s not going to be everybody’s game. Only for one or two of you, it will turn out to be your day. So as soon as you find yourself in that place, make sure you take it as deep as possible.”
Suresh was all the time an thrilling, flamboyant cricketer. He performs a high-risk recreation which when it comes off, he takes it to the opposition. How many instances have we seen Suresh hitting the primary ball of the over to the boundary! He likes to assault, likes to get on the entrance foot and put strain on the opposition. He had the standard to depart an influence on that World Cup and he delivered that day. We have been below correct strain in that chase, we weren’t forward at any stage. We wanted him and Yuvraj to have that mature partnership. One would have thought it was MS Dhoni territory however we had Yuvraj, who had already completed so nicely, do it once more for us. In truth, earlier than the event, Yuvraj had a dream the place he had visions of him hitting the ultimate’s profitable runs! In his dream, it was hitting it in opposition to Australia. Effectively, the 4 he hit off Brett Lee was a manifestation of that dream. It wasn’t the ultimate however it was in opposition to Australia, very near a ultimate.
Yuvraj SIngh and Suresh Raina celebrating after profitable the World Cup quarter ultimate match in opposition to Australia, in Ahmedabad. (Express photograph by RAVI KANOJIA)
Everyone was conscious that Pak win would imply they going to the ultimate and staying on the Taj, a 26/11 terror goal
March 30: Semi-final (Pakistan)Tendulkar’s 85 takes India to 260. Five bowlers take two wickets apiece to shoot out Pakistan for 231.
The fierce Indo-Pak rivalry is extra about spectators; gamers themselves don’t have that fierceness and animosity. They know one another pretty nicely and get alongside nicely. Pakistan was all the time a very simple recreation for which to arrange the Indian group for as they didn’t want any additional motivation.
There was an extra extraneous political strain that no person spoke about however all people was aware of: if India misplaced, Pakistan would go to Mumbai and keep at the exact same Taj Hotel that was a goal of the terrorist assaults. Each one among us knew the symbolism of that with out having to say it. That was not likely excellent to permit Pakistan to win and go to remain at Taj; it didn’t stack up on an brisk degree. So, there was that further strain that this was to be a non-negotiable recreation to lose.
Sachin had performed 5 World Cups. Not simply immensely skilled, he was heads and shoulders above the group when it comes to his accomplishments, however he was a group participant. He didn’t overly converse an excessive amount of in group conferences however when one thing wanted to be mentioned, he would say it – and when he did, which wasn’t fairly often, it had gravitas and gamers would hear. It was his final World Cup and gamers knew the one factor he didn’t have in his trophy cabinet was a World Cup. I do know lot of gamers had dedicated to saying they need to win and reward him the World Cup. He knew that he had that help. Sachin wasn’t ready for different gamers to reward him that Cup; he knew his time was going to return to do his half in bringing it residence. We noticed that within the innings he performed.
India’s Sachin Tendulkar is carried by fellow group members after Team India received the 2011 Cricket World Cup in Mumbai. (Source: PTI)
Mind, physique, spirit and soul blowing
April 2: FINAL (Sri Lanka)India wanted 275 for the Cup, they scored 277. Dhoni sealed it with a six after Gambhir performed the Rock.
There was actually no considerations about it being a cakewalk or taking the toes off the pedal. The gravitas of taking part in a World Cup ultimate in Mumbai wasn’t misplaced on any single participant or help employees. It was about whether or not we will hold the gamers on a good keel and never get them overly excited and anxious. If followers assume it was a giant second that day, you should know what it was like within the group resort and the group bus driving to the stadium to play a World Cup ultimate in India on the world’s noisiest cricket stadium. The complete theme during the last 10 months was in regards to the sort of cricket we performed and never about profitable or shedding. It was about every participant taking accountability when it was their second to bowl or bat. That actually was the problem, to remain inside that course of and never let the thoughts run away to the top the place we had both received or misplaced the cup.
If we return 10 months, one of many methods we devised was to deal with the strain of the World Cup that nobody had ever dealt with earlier than. One of the methods we ensured it was that each time we had a group assembly – in these 10 months, in any recreation we performed – Gary or myself would use the language ‘when we play the final of the World Cup or when we play the final in Mumbai’. That was the 2 methods we prefaced each single assembly for these 10 months. Players would have heard that fifty instances from Gary’s mouth and 25 instances from me. We is likely to be taking part in Australia in Nagpur in that part, however as a substitute of simply speaking about that match, we might say, ‘when we play the final in Mumbai’’ after which speak in regards to the sort of cricket we wished to play.
We by no means mentioned, ‘when we win’; it will all the time be ‘when we play the final’. So the gamers have been used to that and after we reached the ultimate, the gamers have been used to going to that place so many instances of their heads. We have ready each single time we met the final 10 months – plus longer than that in our lives – we’ve got ready for this second. And we’re prepared for this second. And this isn’t a shock or additional large second. This is what we’ve got been getting ready for. The key was to protect that temper – we’ve got ready, we’ve got the sport plan, we’ve got all the pieces we’d like, we don’t have to do something totally different, intelligent, or particular – we’re prepared.
Nothing in my life compares to what I felt when that ball left Dhoni’s bat and all of us realised that it was going the space. I can’t let you know how lengthy that feeling lasted – three minutes, quarter-hour, I do not know. That ecstasy flowing by my physique – if I might bundle it and promote it, I might be the richest man on this planet. It was thoughts, physique, spirit and soul blowing.
Talking in regards to the ultimate, I want to say Gautam Gambhir’s contribution. Everyone talks about Dhoni’s innings however Gambhir held your complete inning collectively. Mind you, Gambhir performed his greatest cricket with Sehwag, a flamboyant and expansive batsman who was so thrilling to observe. Gambhir, in the meantime, was the nuggety little man on the different finish. Gary all the time used to name him “The Rock”. He was so secure and constant. When India would do nicely, it will all the time be Sehwag on the highlights bundle. Gambhir did what he had completed all by his profession – he was Mr Stable, not the present pony, not the man taking part in wonderful pictures. He was the glue that held the Indian batting collectively. The Test group had Rahul Dravid as The Wall, the one-day group had Gambhir as The Rock.
I usually get requested about Dhoni’s elevation within the batting order, him going forward of Yuvraj. This is a first-hand recollection and never a narrative that I heard. To begin with, Dhoni all the time likes to remain contained in the dressing room throughout a recreation and never sit out. It was the identical that day. He was behind the complete glass frontage that’s there on the Wankhede dressing room. Gary was sitting outdoors and I used to be proper subsequent to him. I keep in mind distinctly, I heard a knock on the window. Gary and I turned across the identical time. It was Dhoni, he indicated he was batting subsequent. That was it. Sign language. Gary simply nodded. There was no speak between the 2. Dhoni had made the choice that this was the time for him to face up and do what Dhoni does. He would do what he’s the very best on this planet at – which is seeing a group residence in a chase within the second innings in a white-ball recreation. He had delivered nothing within the eight video games earlier than the ultimate. Yuvraj had completed his bit, he had performed his event. He was completed, he was spent. That second was arrange for somebody like Dhoni. There are only a few gamers on this planet who’re real “massive high-pressure” gamers. Yuvraj Singh isn’t a kind of, Dhoni is. The second ‘t just a testimony to his leadership and courage, it spoke a lot about his relationship with Gary. Mind you, Gary didn’t have to face up and have a dialog with Dhoni to debate the deserves and demerits of the transfer. It was simply the 2 leaders of the group being on the identical web page. The knock on the glass, him pointing to himself, Gary’s nod… and it was completed. I do keep in mind very clearly when Dhoni walked down the steps, I turned to Gary and mentioned “Do you realise Dhoni is going there to fetch us the World Cup?” I had absolute conviction that Dhoni would come again with the trophy.
Indian group after profitable the ICC Cricket World Cup. Express photograph by Kevin D’Souza.
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POST-WORLD CUP BLUES
The Indian group suffered a large type stoop after the ultimate with stars like Tendulkar and Zaheer failing to match their Cup performances ever.
In hindsight, it was very clear to myself and Gary that we knew that we might end our tenures after the World Cup, no matter the place India completed. So we had deliberate and ready for the World Cup, however not for ‘what next’. The greatest analogy that I can use is that of mountaineers. About 80 per cent of the mountaineers who die on the mountains are on their approach down. The motive being that they plan to go to the highest, however don’t plan to get down. We made the identical mistake because the mountaineers. We have been leaving however we didn’t have the perception to inform the group or the BCCI that ‘you guys need to have firm post-World Cup plans’. So I believe all of us are liable for the group drifting for 12 to 18 months. They got here all the way down to earth for the large bump.