Leading a country with extreme inequalities, poverty and a massive population must be tough for Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. But if you ask Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni what the toughest leadership position in India is, he might just say it's his. That's because for many of India's 1.21 billion people, the prime minister is not the leader they follow most closely. Rather, their eyes and the weight of their hopes, expectations and dreams are perpetually on Dhoni and his team. This was never more the case than over the past 10 days as India romped through the final stages of the International Cricket Council Cricket World Cup, beating three−time defending champions Australia and regional archrivals Pakistan and Sri Lanka to become the World Champion.
Dhoni and his men are now the heroes of an entire nation and its global diaspora. This includes many residing at Tufts, where around 50 people gathered for both the semifinal and the final, despite the fact that the matches began at 5 a.m.
With this level of dedication and idolatry from fans worldwide comes enormous pressure. Not surprisingly, then, it is not always glory that the Indian captain experiences. Even before Dhoni became captain, he experienced what it means to be a leader when the going gets tough. Angry fans destroyed his house and burned effigies of him in 2007 after India was bundled out of the World Cup during the group stage. Still, unlike many of the captains that have preceded him, Dhoni is generally emotionless on the field. By looking at him alone one would never be able to tell if India is winning or losing. While he often makes puzzling and frustrating tactical decisions, the manner in which "Captain Cool" deals with the pressure deserves great praise.
During Saturday's final, India's captain, whose own play has been heavily criticized in the media, took the risk of promoting himself in the batting order ahead of eventual Man of the Tournament Yuvraj Singh. With India in a tight situation, Dhoni led from the front, the look of steely determination in his eyes making it clear to all that he would not let India lose.
The power of a successful Indian cricket team can reach far beyond the cricket field, to politics and society at large. India's victory over Australia gave Prime Minister Singh the opportunity to invite his Pakistani counterpart, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, to India to watch the India−Pakistan match as a gesture of goodwill between two nations. India's triumphs gave Bollywood stars Aamir Khan and Shahid Kapoor, as well as prominent politicians Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, the opportunity to sit in stadiums pulsating with the excitement and passion of the masses.
The power of the team's success extended to Tufts, bringing together curious Indian−Americans who have never before watched cricket and die−hard fans who have followed it their whole lives. Undeterred by the wrath of the Hill Hall Resident Director fifteen minutes earlier, this pluralistic congregation erupted into a thunderous roar upon India's victory in the semifinal, a sound that reverberated in my ears until Saturday when it was replicated in Barnum upon India's moment of ultimate triumph.
Furthermore, the two matches screened at Tufts saw Indians, Pakistanis and Sri Lankans watch with one another in the spirit of good−natured competition. That these matches were able to bring so many people together captures the beauty of sport. It is not, as some describe it, a bunch of strong, athletic and unintelligent individuals running around. When sport transcends barriers, it becomes more than "just a game." This would not be the case without the poise, mental strength and intelligence of those leaders who create the magic on the field for us. Credit must be given where it is due. So thank you, Mr. Dhoni. And thank you, Team India, for a week and a half I will never forget.
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