MSD was not a over thinker. That's one thing about him. He never over plans and most importantly he never expects too much from people around him.
But at this moment in the hotel terrace he WAS overthinking. He sat there staring at the horizon from the top floor of the hotel. This thought had been nagging him so much from like almost a month now. It all began with that little chance commentary he overheard...
"You have to step down once you have stepped down...but MS Dhoni seems to have a hard time letting go." Gambhir said in the commentary box chuckling.
"Well he is doing what he seems to think is good for India and it's clearly working" Sourav said coming to MSD's support as usual.
The conversation was about a stump mic bit that was caught by camere.
Virat as usually goofing with Rohit in the slip and distracting each other. To be frank it was against Bangladesh and they would focus when needed but MS knew he would have chide once or twice for that. "Cheeku sidhe khare ho ja" MS had shouted "Aur usko Bahar rakh Thora." It was a very usual conversation.
And Virat and Ro literally looking like guilty kids and straightened up and Rohit had moved a little outside.
And that had started that conversation in the commentary box.
Kuli was bowling and MS was doing his usual "Sabash Sabash Kuli." After every ball cuz honestly he loved the way the boy's face lit up every time he said that.
"Kuli agla Wala halka aage rakh, halka aage aur Thora upar...ek khali daal waise." MS said.
Kuldeep tried but the ball slipped in his.
"Kya Kar raha hai Kuli" MS said "Bahar mat rakh."
The next ball was perfect as MS had asked. "Badhiy badhiya" MS appreciated making Kuldeep smile.
At the end of the over Rohit, Virat and MS huddled discussing strategies
"I think the give and take works brilliantly." Sourav said from the commentary box "He is putting all his experiences in these young minds."
"Well with the bowlers it's fine but the captain?' Gambhir reigerated.
"Well their Dynamics are for them to figure out. What works for the team, works for the team. We shouldn't have a say in it." Sourav said.
"I will still stick to the point that if you have let go you have to let go completely, you aren't the captain or even the vice captain." Gbhir replied.
And the conversation ended their because Jassi took a brilliant wicket in the first ball if the over.
MS hadn't heard this conversation. But that evening MS was passing by Rohit's room when he had just caught Rohit saying,
"Gauti Bhai is saying Bhai bosses around us." Rohit was laughing looking at his phone.
"Well that he does." Virat had said in an endearing tone "But we love it."
But MS hadn't heard the last bit. He had walked off fast.
And since that evening a month back it had been nagging him. Was he bieng overbearing on the team? He had tried to be little aloof even, but it was hard. He always felt this inherent sense of protectiveness about them. And the scolding was a part of it, as were the hugs and the appreciation.
But this thought had stuck with MS. He would find himself unconsciously judging his own previously routine actions. He tried to shake it away, but he couldn't. Because in the back of mind he knew, even thought of his actions making his kids uncomfortable was unbearable to him. But he generally managed to push those thoughts away because the team always hung around him.
