When a quiet and mature Rahul Dravid suddenly stepped down as captain of the Indian team, this unexpected quirk of destiny catapulted a young man firmly onto the troubled hot seat of Indian cricket’s top job. Mahendra Singh Dhoni – fast and furious, young and powerful – picked up the baton and seemed just the right man to head the ODI squad. And when India’s brimming with youth boys in blue soundly whipped their age-old nemesis in yellow, the long-haired 26-year-old wicket-keeper captain became the undisputed darling of the masses.

It was a tumultuous welcome that the victorious brigade got when they returned to home soil with the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup trophy, before they plunged into an ongoing tough series on national soil. The streets were awash with people, bikes followed the open-topped BEST bus, weaving in and out of the crowds on the road…. And teenagers swooned at the sight of the young stars.

Amidst all this hullabaloo – as the six-sixes-in-an-over hitter Yuvraj Singh danced with a red cloth slung over his shoulders and a boisterous S Sreesanth waved excitedly to the crowds – Dhoni could be spotted watching it all, keeping an eye on the trophy. Not that he did not partake in the swirl of excitement – a front-row teenager who could almost have touched the slow moving, often-stopping bus, swore that he winked at her!

In between all the mad frenzy, Dhoni paused a few moments to interact with us about the historic win. Going into the tournament with the odds stacked heavily against them, the team came up trumps. The viewers – who were glued to the seesawing contest – can still recall the nail biting finale when the ball flew high in the air and into the arms of a waiting Sreesanth to script an Indian win. Dhoni, who had shown his enthusiasm on the field (his characteristic gesture being his arms outstretched), was naturally delighted. “When I realised we had won I was really happy. Ecstatic. I was on the top of the world at that point,” he states. “I am a very emotional guy. Most of my decisions are taken from the heart. But I did not know how to celebrate the win.” And, as he said in the melee at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, he realised how big the win was only after returning home.

The Dhoni dhamaka has re-infused young blood into a team that had begun to witness the inevitable ageing of its great sporting icons. How does he feel heading the charge of the youth brigade? “I don’t think ‘youth factor’ is the right word,” he corrects. “The team spirit was what was important and we won because everyone wanted to win the tournament.”

He has donned the mantle of leader and, at the moment, it seems to be sitting lightly on his shoulders. Watching a match, when the going gets tough, you can often see him walking out from his customary position behind the wickets to give the bowler a pep talk. The timing of the victory won him leadership accolades. In fact, what came across on the field was the fact that they were out there to have a blast. Dhoni had told his boys to give of their best and not worry about the results. “We were not worried about what would happen,” he states. “We tried not to have any pressure on us. We love the game of cricket. We just wanted to enjoy ourselves.”

This tall rugged man seems to fear nothing and no one. “It’s all in the mind,” he believes. “Playing without fear means that we cannot be intimidated by any opponents no matter how big they are. We will try to keep that feeling forever.”

Every match is played under public eye with no question of takes or retakes if mistakes are made. Though no concessions are given – and none asked from opponents – the lack of fear is what seems to inspire him in his on-the-field moves. “Why should the public attention affect me?” he asks. “If these things affected me then I should not have been the captain.” Ask him if he is as unfazed as he really claims to be and he replies, “I try not to get bogged down by what I am doing,” I strongly feel that a captain is always as good as his team.... It is for others to say how cool I remain on the field. Nothing makes me nervous as such…needles, perhaps.”

Interestingly, the newly-minted captain has not one or two, but three former captains – and several seniors – in his team. Is it an easy task leading men who have been leaders themselves? “It is obviously a boon,” Dhoni says of the Big Three to whom we are obviously alluding. “Which captain would not want so many years of experience with him?”

Jharkhand’s most eligible bachelor – he is also the first cricketer to don the Indian cap from the region – was first involved with football. Who knows, he may have metamorphosed into India’s answer to David Beckham if the world of cricket had not beckoned! But the youth who had got a job as a ticket collector in Kharagpur, could not ignore the call of destiny and now shares the honour of bringing home a World Cup with one of cricket’s biggest sporting icons, Kapil Dev. Almost 25 years after the first win, the Indian team repeated the feat, albeit in a different format of the game. Commenting on the parallels that are being drawn – both are from small towns, both fearless and spontaneous in their game – Dhoni says simply, “It’s a matter of honour to be compared to one of the greats of world cricket.”

The few-matches-old captain, with his rugged physique and long locks, is fast becoming the poster boy of Indian cricket. Though at the onset of his career he had seemed to lack the suave sophistication of his teammates, he has swiftly acquired the poise essential to his job. The man who is the flavour of the season insists that he has remained the same: “The last three years have been an eventful journey. I have learnt a lot. But I am the same Mahi as my friends knew me before international cricket.”

His on the pitch success – with his bat, behind the wicket and now as captain – has turned him swiftly into the ad world’s new mascot, with brands like Exide, TVS, 7Up, BPCL, Sonata and Reebok already under his belt. From his performance in cricket to his personal style, Dhoni remains under scrutiny. His hair particularly draws attention. When I ask him if he is making a style statement and would he dream of experimenting with his locks, he replies, “I am a casual guy. I hardly think about my style. No, I do not think I want to cut it short. People tell me I look good in it.”

Style wise, he has an eclectic taste.... It all depends on the mood and the moment. He has removed his shirt on field to give it to a young fan…and before the camera for ad campaigns. “Well I like buying branded clothes,” he confesses. “I wear a lot of Reebok stuff. When it comes to suiting, I stick to Siyaram’s. However, I am more of a jeans and T-shirt guy.”

Life, for him, is right now a whirligig. Hurtling from one match to another Dhoni is riding a rollercoaster of wins and losses. What keeps him relaxed are simple pleasures that the youth of today cherish: “I play videogames, drive bikes, sleep and listen to music.” And, on the times when he is not relaxing but playing upfront, he carries the dreams and hopes of a nation with him. But, as he has said, “I try not to buckle down.” His shoulders seem broad enough to bear the brunt!