'Before the team was announced in the afternoon, Dhoni was dressed up for the game. He called me to his room and asked me why was I worrying so much? Then he said,'even if my one leg is not there, I will still play against Pakistan'.'
Mahendra Singh Dhoni was almost ruled out for a crunch India-Pakistan match in the Asia Cup last year after he suffered an injury but the then Captain's determination saw him not only turning up for the game but also winning it, according to national chief selector M S K Prasad.
The chairman of the selection committee said though he had even kept ready a replacement, Dhoni told him not to worry and that he would play against Pakistan even "if my one leg is not there."
Prasad, speaking at the Tamil Nadu Sports Journalists Association (TNSJA) annual awards function in Chennai on Sunday night, recalled the incident that happened during the Asia Cup in Dhaka in Bangladesh in February last year, to highlight Dhoni's determination and dedication to the sport.
He said Dhoni had picked up an injury during training two days ahead of the match but he went on to lead the team victory.
Narrating the incident, he said, "While training at the gym late in the night, Dhoni picked up weights and suddenly there was a catch in his back and he fell with the weight.
"Thankfully, the weight did not fall on him. He could not walk, he was literally crawling. He was taken on stretcher."
Prasad revealed he was not sure how to deal with the situation.
"So, I went to Dhoni's room to know what the issue was. He said, 'don’t worry MSK bhai'. I even asked him what should I tell the scribes, and the answer again was 'don't worry MSK bhai,’ the chief selector said.
Prasad also said he didn't want to take chances and summoned Parthiv Patel as a replacement.
But Dhoni's resolve came to the fore and he was ready for the crunch game against arch-rivals Pakistan.
"Before the team was announced in the afternoon, Dhoni was dressed up for the game. He called me to his room and asked me why was I worrying so much? Then he said,'even if my one leg is not there, I will still play against Pakistan'," Prasad said.
He also had a piece of advice for youngsters with regard to lack of facilities.
"Dhoni comes from an area, where there is no facility. Even T Natarajan didn’t get recognition before. So, there will be no facility, it is your inner power that will take you to the next level."
