Bishop uses Tamil word ‘thala’ to explain MS Dhoni’s greatness

As plaudits poured in for M S Dhoni, who has been inducted into the ICC (International Cricket Council) Hall of Fame, West Indies great Ian Bishop used the Tamil word 'thala' to explain why the former India captain stands out.

Dhoni is affectionately called 'thala' by fans of Chennai Super Kings, a franchise he's led to five Indian Premier League (IPL) titles.

"The Tamil word that was attributed to him, 'thala', where it speaks to a coolness within the crucible of a World Cup tournament, a final, the intense competition of the IPL, etc.," Bishop said in a video message shared by ICC.

".. what he was trying to do is keep people calm so they can focus logically and the processes they need to go through to find success, Dhoni did that like no other.

"He also wore that leadership quite lightly; he made it a point to treat as many people as equally as possible, and that is not an attribute you find in a lot of leaders in the modern day. That jumps out to me as a great thing from M S Dhoni," said the former Windies pacer.

Though the word 'thala' literally translates to 'head' in Tamil as well as Malayalam, it has a wider meanings, especially in Tamil Nadu. 'Thala' is often used as a shortform for 'thalaivan' meaning leader, one who commands respect of everyone.

Dhoni, who led India to two World Cup triumphs, retired from international cricket in 2020. "With 17,266 international runs, 829 dismissals and 538 matches across formats for India, Dhoni’s numbers reflect not just excellence but extraordinary consistency, fitness and longevity," noted ICC.