NEW DELHI: India's 2014-15 tour of Australia is remembered as the dawn of a new era, when Virat Kohli took over the reins of India's Test cricket from MS Dhoni, who announced his retirement midway through the series.
Before handing over his captaincy, Dhoni demonstrated why he is known as 'Captain Cool,' not just on the field but off it as well, displaying a different kind of leadership by quietly shutting down rumours of a spat between Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan after the Brisbane Test.
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Rumours circulated about a heated exchange between Kohli and Dhawan following India's four-wicket defeat in the Brisbane Test, which allegedly affected the team's atmosphere. The situation reportedly arose after Dhawan made a last-minute decision to retire hurt due to a hand injury, a move that did not sit well with Kohli.
Amid the turmoil, it was Dhoni who quietly stepped up to douse the fire. As Dhawan later reflected in his book Shikhar Dhawan - The One, co-authored by Chandresh Narayanan and Namita Kala (Harper Sport, 2025), it was Dhoni's calm diplomacy that defused tensions and rebuilt trust within the team. In that moment, India's captain wasn't merely safeguarding a series; he was preserving the relationships that would help shape the future of Indian cricket.
"Before he bowed out of the Test stage, Dhoni Bhai did a good job of putting to rest rumours about a disagreement between Virat and me during the second Test at Brisbane. I had injured my hand and had to retire hurt. Virat stepped in and carried on the innings. But canards were spread about a supposed spat over this alleged last-minute call I had taken," Dhawan mentioned in his book.
Dhoni's calm response to the incident
Dhawan further wrote about how Dhoni used his wisdom to handle the situation, responding with his trademark wit and subtle sarcasm when questioned about the incident during a press conference.
"When the question was put to Dhoni bhai during a press conference, he sardonically commented: 'Whoever has passed on this information deserves to write for a Marvel or Warner Bros superhero movie!' Just that one line, but it was enough to put the rumours to rest," Dhawan wrote.
Looking back on that period, Dhawan - who retired from international cricket last year - revealed that he learned to protect his mental peace, refusing to let negative commentary or media noise disrupt his focus.
"It is the job of a journalist to write a story, so I did not dwell over it. Sometimes commentators also make irksome remarks about a player or his ability, but, throughout my cricketing career, I have made it a point to not take such things to heart," Dhawan added.
