Chennai: He doesn’t follow orthodox ways. M.S. Dhoni’s batting and wicket-keeping techniques are unique and so is his style of keeping fit. The 36-year-old doesn’t really spend much time working out in the gym.
Dhoni, who was in the city for Chennai Super Kings reunion and TNPL-2 inauguration, said the kind of food one eats is more important than training. “Fitness is a major part of any sport today whether it is skill-oriented or endurance-oriented. If you have right kind of food and supplement it with training, you can get much more out of yourself, both in physical and mental aspects. Enjoying life is important, but as an athlete you need to know what things you can’t do that your brother or sister can,” Dhoni said.
“These days, players get educated about what they need to do. Most of the players learn from the seniors and there will be physios to assist you,” he added.
A nonchalant character, Dhoni knows what it takes to excel under pressure. “To keep it simple, it is important not to think about the result and do not think what if we lose the game,” said the former India skipper.
One of the best finishers in limited-overs cricket, Dhoni went on to explain how he keeps himself calm under pressure. “We shouldn’t think too much ahead of time and just concentrate on the process. If you are defending a score, think about which bowler can be used and what will be the field placements. When you are constantly thinking of all these things, you don’t think about the results. So there is less pressure and you are trying to make sure that the process is more important. You are looking at how you can alter the course of the game and that in turn will help me get the desired results.
“That is how I keep myself calm under pressure and practice is something that gives you the confidence as to what needs to be done under pressure. You may not win ten out of ten games, but when you practise the right way and you have been in these types of situations for a period of time, you know how to get out of it,” he added.
