MS Dhoni reveals why he was given India captaincy in 2007

He is today regarded as one of the finest captains ever. He is a two-time World Cup winner, first of which came in his first tournament as the leader. But then, at the time of his anointment, detractors termed the BCCI's move a gamble.

In a recent interview with the Print, he revealed what made the Indian selectors chose him over others.

“I feel that looking at everything, maybe it was the honesty that I had, and my ability to read the game. Reading the game is very important, and even though I was one of the youngest in the team at that point of time when asked about my views by a senior player, I was not afraid or hesitant to share my feelings about the game,” Dhoni said.

Dhoni also attributed his good relationship with other players in the team helped his cause.

In a storied career, Dhoni played 90 Tests, 309 ODIs and 83 T20Is. Of those, he led Men in Blue in 60 Tests (winning 27), 199 ODIs (1inning 110) and 72 T20Is (winning 41).

Dhoni stepped down as India's limited-overs captain in January early this year, thus paving the way for Virat Kohli to take complete charge of Men in Blue. He had previously relinquished Test captaincy during the 2014-15 tour of Australia, after losing the third Test in Melbourne.

Currently, India are taking on Sri Lanka on a complete series, comprising of three Tests, three ODIs and three T20Is.

In recent times, Dhoni's role in the current Indian setup has been questioned, with many asking him to allow younger players to take his place.

But both the captain and coach Ravi Shastri have defended the wicketkeeper-batsman, saying he is indispensable to the team's fortunes in the limited-overs cricket, even as India continue to seek a viable road made in their preparation for the 2019 World Cup in England.