'I always felt that captaining the Indian team is probably the toughest challenge for anyone.'
Being emotionally detached from results contributed significantly to the stellar success of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who retired after creating an enviable legacy, former India teammate and batsman VVS Laxman said.
From his calm demeanour to becoming the only captain to have won all three ICC trophies including World T20 in 2007, 2011 ODI World Cup and the ICC Champions Trophy in 2013, Dhoni stunned the cricketing world by quitting international cricket on August 15 with a short note on his Instagram account. Laxman congratulated the 39-year-old for a path-breaking run.
"...I always felt that captaining the Indian team is probably the toughest challenge for anyone, you know, because there's so much of expectations from everyone around the world. But MS Dhoni has always been emotionally detached from the results," Laxman said on Star Sports' show Cricket Connected.
"The way he has inspired millions of Indians, not only the sports fans, but millions of Indians on how to conduct and how to become an ambassador of your country, how to carry yourself in the public domain. And that's why he's so respected," he added.
Laxman said the former wicketkeeper batsman has set an example for future generation of cricketers with his conduct and contribution to the game.
"Love comes from the cricketing fans for your cricketing achievements, but respect comes by the way you have conducted yourself, by the way you carried yourself," he said.
"When you see the social media posts, it's not only from the former players or the cricketing fans, it's from all the Indians, whether you take film stars, socialites, esteemed businessmen, politicians.
"Around the world, all the former cricketers, all the cricketing fraternity have thanked MS Dhoni for his contribution not to Indian cricket, but world cricket," Laxman added.
