Dhoni, the constant

The shortest format of cricket, despite being on the verge of hosting its fourth World Championships in six years, has had its fair share of teething problems. While Twenty20 cricket's popularity and its vast economic possibilities are hardly matters of doubt, its place in the scheme of things — the way tours, series and cricketing calendars function — is yet uncertain. Uncertainty, hence, or the lack of continuity in the progressive evolution of T20s has been its biggest drawback.

There, however, has been one exception to that rule; one player, in fact, who has been there right from the beginning in a commanding, almost moulding role of the game. Mahendra Singh Dhoni, India's T20 captain who won the inaugural World T20 in his debut event as skipper, is about to lead his country for the fourth consecutive time. Nobody else from any other side in the world can boast of such permanency. And the corresponding stability that it brings with it.

Here, it will be quite fair to say that Dhoni has been T20s most grounding factor. And going into possibly his last pan-global campaign as captain of this side in this format, Team India will sure hope that Dhoni's vast scale of experience — acquired from playing countless hours in the Indian Premier League — will come in handy to claim that trophy for the second time.

2007 start

Since 2007, the year that T20 cricket really went global, Dhoni has gone around gathering silverware for fun. He's of course won the World T20 for India, two IPLs for the Chennai Super Kings and one Champions League for the same franchise.

With his image having gone a bit off the fizz following his crowning glory, the one-day World Cup trophy in 2011, Dhoni really wouldn't mind starting from scratch in an event that first catapulted him to his current status. "It all started from this stage. I do not mind repeating it all over again. That will be a big positive for us," said Dhoni.

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