Sachin Tendulkar revealed the reason behind promoting MS Dhoni ahead of Yuvraj Singh during the 2011 World Cup final
MS Dhoni played an unbeaten 91-run knock in the final to seal the match for India and also the World Cup title after 28 years.
Yuvraj Singh was named the Player of the tournament for his all-round performance throughout the tournament.
The Indian cricket team created history after winning the 2011 World Cup Final in Mumbai. On April 2, the iconic Wankhede Stadium went wild as India finally ended a 28-year drought after chasing down Sri Lanka's 275-run target. The current head coach of the Indian cricket team, Gautam Gambhir's gritty innings of 97 and skipper MS Dhoni's amazing unbeaten 91-run knock, finishing with that iconic six, will remain permanently in our cricketing memories.
Former India legend Sachin Tendulkar played his last World Cup, star all-rounder Yuvraj Singh was named Player of the Tournament, and Dhoni etched his name into cricketing history with one of the greatest captain’s knocks. Yet, more than a decade later, the big question of why Dhoni was promoted ahead of Yuvraj still lingers, and just recently, Sachin himself has revealed the reason behind that.
Why Dhoni Went In Before Yuvraj?
During an AMA session on Reddit, Sachin was asked about the much-debated batting order change. While many assumed it was instinctive, he explained that the call had deeper reasoning. A left–right batting combination was crucial to disrupt Sri Lanka’s off-spinners Muttiah Muralitharan and Suraj Randiv, and Dhoni’s three years of facing Murali in Chennai Super Kings’ nets gave him an edge that no one else had.
“There were 2 reasons. The left right batting combination would have upset the two off spinners, also Muralitharan had played for CSK (from 2008-2010) and MS had played him for 3 seasons in the nets.,” Sachin revealed. The call proved decisive, with Dhoni walking in at 114/3 and shifting momentum back in India’s favour.
MS Dhoni's iconic 91-run knock in 2011 World Cup Final
Dhoni’s 91 not out is still fresh in every Indian fans' memories, not just for the winning shot but for the way he played that inning. Until that point in the tournament, Dhoni had scored just 150 runs in seven innings, but his best came when it mattered the most. With Gambhir anchoring at the other end, the two put together a 109-run stand that broke Sri Lanka’s grip on the match.
