Inaugural edition gave India Dhoni, self belief: Virat Kohli

India Test skipper Virat Kohli marked the sensational title win by Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s team in the ICC World T20 in 2007 as an important milestone in Indian cricket.

India, under new skipper Dhoni defied all odds to reach the final in an alien format and beat Pakistan in a nerve-racking finish to win the inaugural title in Johannesburg. Dhoni is now set to lead India for a record sixth time in the 2016 T20 Worlds.

“It was an important milestone in Indian cricket. The win was important because no one knew much about T20s before that as it happened before the IPL. The whole country was watching.

“No one knew what is going to happen. It wasn’t easy. It is a special memory, had some nervous moments in the final game but it was a proud feeling to know we had lifted a world trophy,” he said in a panel discussion with former Test cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar at the launch ICC World T20 2016 trophy scheduled in India from March 8 to April 3.

Kohli also recalled how the win gave India self belief and launched Dhoni as a skipper. “We won a world title after so many years. It gave us belief. It was the launch of Dhoni as a captain. His tactics, the way he led the young team was amazing. Later he became a big figure in captaincy world over. We did well after that and went on to win the ICC World Cup in 2011,” he added.

The Delhi dasher who led India to the Under-19 World Cup in 2008 said Dhoni has left nothing for other skippers to surpass. “M.S. Dhoni has set the bar as far as captaincy goes. He has not left anything to be achieved for any other captain. After the T20 win, he won ODI World Cup and Champions Trophy. Also India became the no. 1 Test side under him,” he said.

Kohli lauded Dhoni’s special ability to soak up pressure and said it was one thing he would want to bring into his game.

“Must learn composure and not to panic under pressure from Dhoni. It helped me in the last two Test series,” he admitted.

The 27-year-old said that home advantage would not be a big factor.

“Many foreign players play in IPL. Teams are familiar with Indian conditions. They know where to bowl and bat. Not such big home advantage anymore,” he said.