Bedi points out a big difference between Dhoni and Azhar. “Azhar was a shy person while Dhoni is different. Despite being from a small town, Dhoni is naturally extrovert and much more confident,” he said. Former chairman of national selectors Kiran More played under Azhar during those turbulent times in Indian cricket and recalls the tour of England in 1990. “Communication was not Azhar’s strong point. And during those days the support staff was a bare minimum, so team meetings at times were a bit uncomfortable. These days the support staff is strong and that makes things easier for Dhoni,” says More.

Bedi too is of the opinion that things will work for Dhoni only if he gets total support from the team management. The vital decisions that concern the former captains in the team shouldn’t be left to Dhoni. “When it comes to tough decisions, it is the coach and the chairman of selectors who should own up,” he says. What he means is, in case Tendulkar is rested or Ganguly is dropped, the young captain shouldn’t be burdened with an explanation.

While Dhoni should be excused from such off-field complications, on-field he should be the man in charge. Bedi has a simple advice for Dhoni: “Listen to all but do what you feel is best. And don’t make a habit of soliciting advice all the time. This is a sign of a weak and indecisive skipper,” he says. Former Test player Manoj Prabhakar, who had a long stint under Azhar, speaks about a couple of instances when too many cooks spoilt the broth. Prabhakar recalls the Hero Cup final where Azhar was clueless before the final over of the game as Kapil backed out. It was only after Sachin snatched the ball that the issue was sorted out. The former all-rounder also blames Azhar for him switching to off-spin during the 1996 World Cup game against Sri Lanka. “As I was hit in my first spell, there were some seniors in the side who said I should switch to spin. Azhar didn’t agree initially but gradually gave in. The ploy didn’t work and we lost the game,” he says.

... contd.