'Virat Kohli's name will stay for generations. Dhoni's name will stay for generations.'
Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Virat Kohli are hailed as modern-day icons but for former India opener Navjot Singh Sidhu, the two legends are no less than institutions, whose relevance would not die down while their contemporaries faded.
Sidhu, who is a JioStar expert for IPL 2025, was responding to a query about Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru rivalry.
"People call them icons. I call them institutions. Virat Kohli's name will stay for generations. Dhoni's name will stay for generations. Why? For stamping his supremacy throughout the world over a period of time with longevity and adapting to all formats, the attitude of a lion, right?," Sidhu said.
"And someone with his charisma and magnetism has eclipsed across the globe. Across the globe, he is a great role model. The kids in the street want to be Virat Kohli. That's the kind of impact."
Sidhu said in the past icons like Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi had the charisma to fill stadiums and when he got out, fans would leave the venue.
"After years, that lineage, that legacy has been fulfilled by Virat Kohli." Sidhu then explained why Dhoni will always remain special.
"Somewhere down the line, if you look at Dhoni, the best captain that India has ever produced by miles. The one who makes the world move. A leader is the one who moves forward. Man's rank is his ability to uplift. The one who instills faith in those who follow him. The one who makes ordinary people extraordinary."
He spoke about how he effected a stumping of India's T20 skipper Suryakumar
"He is 42 (43) years old, friend. Look at the way he did that stumping. It was greased lightning yesterday. I mean, a young man will not be able to do it. How he inspires people.
"When CSK's match ends, the opposing team sits together and drinks tea. So 30-40 people sit together and talk to Dhoni. So he is a larger than life figure. And even the IPL does not want him to go."
The 18th edition of the IPL is in its early days and already a near-300 total has been witnessed with SRH batter setting a high bar for the remainder of the league.
Asked if it was a fair assessment that T20 format is cruel to bowlers and they do not get to make much of an impact, Sidhu said the shortest format belongs to the common fan and the purists should look to Test cricket only to assess the real value and impact of a cricketer.
He said IPL has the power to shape careers and create new stars..
"The conversation with a wise man is worth months of education. So the IPL has a huge effect. I mean, they come from small villages, from small cities. When they come and play here, like Vignesh (MI spinner) played yesterday. When they rub shoulders with these international players, the feeling they get is that I belong to this arena. Sense of belonging comes. Belief comes.
"You become an overnight hero, my friend. Now, Vignesh comes from a background, that his father, a humble background, taxi driver, right? He has never played the Ranji Trophy."
IPL is where talent meet opportunity and every household knows Vignesh.
"The Mumbai scouts have picked him up from there. Talent is nothing without opportunity, right? It needs to be controlled, disciplined, and honest. I praise Mumbai for this. He's a household name, boss. That's the IPL for you. He is a household name. Every housewife in India will know his name. That's the kind of thing, that's the turnaround..
"When you play a Test match, that reflects the true abilities. That's the true ability of a person. It's a merciless medium. If you have a weakness there, the attack will be there. If you have to see how big the player is. Then you have to see his test record."
Sidhu said that perhaps an experiment can be done in Ranji Trophy by bringing in foreign players.
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