Why Dhoni's a special captain?

Recalling an ageing Chennai Super Kings' remarkable triumph after returning to IPL from a two-year ban, batting great Sunil Gavaskar praised talisman Mahendra Singh Dhoni and said his ability to get the best out of his players makes him stand out.

The upcoming edition of the IPL starts on March 31.

"I think when CSK returned and won the IPL trophy, it was absolutely amazing because the team had not been together for two years and they had moved out with different franchises and suddenly they come back again. That tells you about leadership," Gavaskar told Star Sports Network.

In July 2015, the Justice Lodha Committee pronounced a two-year ban for CSK and Rajasthan Royals for their owners' involvement in the Indian Premier League 2013 fixing scandal, sending shockwaves through the cricket world.

As a result, some of the biggest names in world cricket, including Dhoni, had to move to other franchises during the two-year-period.

Gavaskar added, "That tells you how the man could get a team together again after that gap. Sometimes, you know, first year, second year there is a team spirit that happens but to get all of them together after the gap is remarkable.

"I think therefore that particular year and some of the shots that he played, I remember one game where the team needed 20 odds runs in the final over and he just smashed it around from everywhere from outside the off stump, he was hitting it over long on for sixes!

"We were used to seeing that from Dhoni but even those little touches of his where he makes a fielder, a player feel 7 feet tall, are the touches that make him stand out from the other."