Controversial opinion | Not Kohli or Tendulkar, MS Dhoni might be GOAT of Indian cricket

There is a very old saying that 'Cricket is a religion in India' and there is no denying it. The sport that was introduced to the Indian peninsula by the British Raj unites the country like no other. It is very safe to say that in the present times, India has taken over cricket and is the biggest flagbearer of the sport. There have been innumerable golden chapters in Indian cricketing history and there have been heroes who have worked their magic on various occasions and have helped the nation slip into a feeling of euphoria. Sachin Tendulkar, Kapil Dev, Virat Kohli, and MS Dhoni have been the greatest heroes of Indian cricket and have stamped their dominance on the world. There will always be a debate, and the debate can rage on for as long as one like about who is the GOAT of Indian cricket. The answer might be too simple or too complicated but it surely depends on how one perceives and watches the game.

Cricket lovers, all around the globe wait for the IPL every year, not just to witness back-to-bat cricketing matches, but also to see the greatest white ball skipper work his magic on the field. When MS Dhoni inherited Rahul Dravid's side in 2008, it was full of stalwarts like Sachin, Ganguly, Kumble, Harbhajan, and Dravid himself. He led many of these superstars to their only World Cup win in 2011, a feat that couldn't be replicated by the likes of great skippers like Sourav Ganguly and Md. Azharduddin. In the 2007 T20 World Cup, nobody had given India a chance to win the inaugural tournament after all the seniors opted out. This was MS Dhoni's 'Midas Touch' that he turned that campaign into a golden chapter leading an inexperienced Indian side. Later in 2013, Dhoni hit yet another masterstroke by assigning the role of an opener to Rohit Sharma. Sharma, now the Indian captain went from strength to strength and now is the only player to score three double-hundreds in the ODI format.

READ MORE: Virat Kohli Sends Special Message To Jadeja & MS Dhoni After CSK lift IPL title

Dhoni also has more than 10,000 runs and let's not forget that it is a feat that is impossible to achieve for someone who batted at number 6 or 7 throughout his life. The former India skipper happens to be the only skipper in cricket history to win 3 ICC trophies, 2 Test Maces, and 9 T20 trophies. There are innumerable testaments to Dhoni's contributions and why we will see nobody like him ever again.

READ MORE: How MS Dhoni Just Goes On To Win And Win Despite Numerous Obstacles

Tournaments won by MS Dhoni, the captain:

• 2007: ICC T20 World Cup
• 2010: Asia Cup
• 2010: IPL
• 2010: CLT20
• 2010: Test Mace
• 2011: Test Mace
• 2011: ICC ODI World Cup
• 2011: IPL
• 2013: ICC Champions Trophy
• 2014: CLT20
• 2016: Asia Cup
• 2018: IPL
• 2021: IPL
• 2023: IPL

Sachin Tendulkar with 200 Test matches and 100 centuries is the highest run-scorer in the history of cricket and his contribution to Indian cricket is nothing but legendary Kapil Dev, India's first proper pace bowler, an allrounder who with his heroics, limitless capabilities on the cricket field and innate decision led India to their first World Cup victory will be India's first hero. Virat Kohli, an heir to Sachin Tendulkar's legacy, India's biggest poster boy and a superstar of the game, a player who has already transcended into a stature of the legend has changed how the game is played. When all of them unanimously admire one man, he can certainly be referred to as the GOAT of Indian cricket. Very early on in MS Dhoni's career, he impressed Sachin Tendulkar with his game-reading skills and Sachin later recommended his name to become the next India captain. Kapil Dev openly said that MS Dhoni is his hero and as far as Virat goes, he is in awe of his skipper and the entire world knows it. MS Dhoni just isn't a name, it has become an emotion for the fans.