Ravichandran Ashwin recently recalled a fascinating moment from the 2013 Champions Trophy final, showcasing MS Dhoni’s exceptional tactical acumen. The former India captain, known for his ice-cool demeanour under pressure, not only predicted England batter Jonathan Trott’s shot selection but also devised the perfect strategy to dismiss him.
India, playing hosts England at Edgbaston, was reduced to a rain-hit final of 20 overs per side. Asked to defend a paltry 129, few gave India any hope, but the masterly deployment of his bowlers by Dhoni changed the complexion of the game. Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, and Ishant Sharma each took two wickets, and with a last-ball victory, Dhoni acquired the sole missing ICC trophy for his hall of fame.
Ravichandran Ashwin, looking back at that last one, shared a stunning instance of Dhoni’s strategic acumen. “I still remember Mahi bhai approaching me and saying, ‘Don’t bowl over the stumps to Trott; bowl from around the wicket. He’ll try to play on the leg side, and if the ball spins, he’ll get stumped.’ I still can’t believe how he forecasted that,” Ravichandran Ashwin spoke about on JioHotstar’s Unbeaten: Dhoni’s Dynamites.
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Dinesh Karthik, who was also part of the squad, spoke about the team’s resilience and Dhoni’s unwavering belief in his players. “This was our moment to show what cricket meant to Team India. England were cruising and could have easily won, but Dhoni’s tactical brilliance changed everything. He made crucial moves, and the bowlers executed them to perfection,” Karthik said.
Former India batter and commentator Aakash Chopra further highlighted how the tournament embodied Dhoni’s leadership. “This was his tournament through and through. It had Dhoni written all over it. He had almost crafted this team in his own image and engineered victory after victory. That was a story written by the heavens,” Chopra remarked.
The most telling moment arrived when Dhoni recalled Ishant Sharma into the attack despite a costly first spell. Sharma fought back by removing Eoin Morgan and Ravi Bopara on successive balls in the 17th over, turning the game India’s way.
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“That was the most magical thing Ishant has ever done in his life,” Aakash Chopra explained. “He altered his tempo and picked two vital wickets. That’s when you know Dhoni has the Midas touch—everything he touches turns to gold.”
MS Dhoni’s final masterstroke was entrusting Ashwin to bowl the last over—a rare move at the time when spinners were seldom used to close out games. Chopra explained why this gamble paid off: “Throwing the ball to a spinner in the 20th over is a huge risk. But Dhoni had complete confidence in Ashwin—not just in his skills, but in his ability to handle pressure.”
That evening, in the overcast Birmingham sky, Dhoni once again demonstrated why he was among cricket’s best tacticians.
