Cricket: King of cool 'blank' in frenetic finishes

MS Dhoni of India. Photo / Getty Images

When all else are losing their minds in frantic finishes, what is cricket's coolest customer MS Dhoni thinking?

Nothing - absolutely nothing.

"It's important to be blank," says the Indian captain.

After orchestrating a win and a tie within 48 hours in Adelaide, Dhoni offered revealing insights into his run-chasing expertise. On Sunday night in Adelaide, Dhoni was instrumental as India smacked 13 runs from the final over to defeat Australia.

On Tuesday night, Dhoni again expertly guided India against Sri Lanka but, needing four from the last ball, his shot was saved on the boundary - he ran three for the tie. It later emerged the 30th over had contained only five balls but Dhoni did not issue a formal complaint.

Some, including his teammate Gautam Gambhir, say he shouldn't wait until the last over to try to win games.

But Dhoni merely points to his successes. "Why fix something that is not broken ... this is working for us," he said after the tie with the Lankans.

Dhoni, batting No7, said he doesn't "have the luxury of batsmen behind me".

"So if I go in, more often than not I like to finish the job," he said.

"Some people like to finish the game early and take a bit more risk in the middle overs ... but I have a different perspective about it.

"We all can easily play the big shot. The difference is it always has to pay off.

"If it doesn't pay off, what do you say, the shot wasn't needed.

"So I am never in a hurry to finish it in the 48th or 47th over. If it goes to the 49th over or the 50th over, I'm quite happy."

But what goes through his mind in the tense final moments when he holds his nation's fortunes in his hands?

"Basically, it's blank," Dhoni said.

"They bowl yorkers at your toe, stumps and outside off.

"So if you get set up for a ball that you suppose will be right at the stumps and it's an outside off yorker, it's a really difficult ball to hit.

"It's important to be blank.

"And you back yourself - if you're not backing yourself to get those four runs, then it will be tougher to get those four runs ... you have to back yourself."

- AAP