Dhoni retained the captaincy and later led India to 2013 Champions Trophy victory. (Image: File)
The recent sacking of Rohit Sharma as ODI captain has sent shockwaves through Indian cricket, but it is not an isolated event. The national selectors unanimously decided to remove the famous MS Dhoni from his leadership position more than ten years ago, but this decision was dramatically overridden at the highest level.
After India won the World Cup in 2011, the team went through a period of patchy play. The team struggled to recapture its winning form during the 2011–12 season, making it especially forgettable. In order to rejuvenate the team, the selectors, under the direction of Mohinder Amarnath, felt that a leadership change was required. They specifically intended to replace Dhoni as captain for the forthcoming triangular series between Australia and Sri Lanka in 2012, believing that this was the ideal opportunity to do so.
In a stunning turn of events, the selectors' unanimous decision was blocked. The final authority did not come from the selection committee but from the then Board President. Mohinder Amarnath revealed this publicly in 2012, stating, "The Board President did not approve the unanimous decision to replace Mahendra Singh Dhoni." He further emphasized the unusual process, noting, "We selected the team for the triangular series... but we did not select the captain. The captain was selected by somebody else." This top-level intervention ensured Dhoni retained his position.
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The immediate aftermath of the decision was challenging for the Indian team. India did not make it to the 2012 tri-series finals in Australia, despite Dhoni's persistent leadership. Additionally, they were eliminated prior to the 2012 T20 World Cup semi-finals and failed to advance to the final of the 2012 Asia Cup. At first, this difficult period appeared to confirm the selectors' worries, placing tremendous pressure on the captain to improve the team's performance.
Absolutely. Following the challenging period, Dhoni guided India to an incredible comeback on the international front. India's victory over the host country in the final to win the 2013 Champions Trophy in England marked the turning point. This triumph cemented his reputation. He further guided the team to the final of the 2014 T20 World Cup and the semi-finals of the 2015 ODI World Cup and the 2016 T20 World Cup. This successful run vindicated the decision to stick with him.
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A line of succession that directly relates to the present was started in 2017 when Dhoni finally retired from captaincy. He was succeeded by his deputy, Virat Kohli, who had been groomed for the role since 2012. Following the 2017 Champions Trophy, Rohit Sharma was appointed Kohli's vice-captain, eventually replacing him as all-format captain in 2021/22. The latest change sees Shubman Gill, who was Rohit's deputy, now leading the Test and ODI teams, continuing the cycle of transition that the selectors had once attempted to initiate with Dhoni.
Disclaimer: This report is based on statements from documented cricket archives.
