Cricket's Dhoni-Sized Hole

May 29, 2023

Welcome to Twenty Two Yards, a weekly newsletter celebrating cricket's culture and characters.

In this issue:

  • Don’t Go Dhoni

  • Adidas comes back to cricket

  • ECB lose their first to the MLC

Estimated read ⏰: 5 mins

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Cricket's Dhoni-Sized Hole

Fan through the pages of any Wisden Almanack - any issue from any year- there's still not enough Thala.

After this week, the 'Man with the Midas Touch' will likely put his talent to work on New Jersey golf courses rather than the cricket field. Mahendra Singh Dhoni is "on the verge" of retirement. Deep breaths; we'll get through it.

After all, the future is bright. King Kohli has years to go, and when Schubman Gill isn't posting thirst traps, he's batting centuries.

The concern, however, isn't "who" is the future - it's "how" cricket will be represented to the world.

'Captain Cool' without being a tool
Dhoni's name is plastered in the record books, but his effortless command of the moment, the je ne sais quoi- will be missing as if the Mona Lisa suddenly disappeared from the Louvre.

Dhoni is the guru that doesn't require your admiration, making us want to give it to him more. Mahi is pre-influencer - he hovers above likes and shares with the maturity of an elder statesman.

In fact, Dhoni posts sparingly on Instagram - typically about family, while his last post on Twitter was about going to the farm to eat strawberries… in 2021.

Man of the People
Some have suggested that Dhoni might consider a political route next. Whatever his politics - he'd be a frontrunner for anything: parliament...PM - name the job.

Hell, he's already holding court with his opponents. After IPL matches, the other teams seek advice while touching the master’s feet. Even Sunil Gavaskar is in line waiting for his autograph. When Dhoni isn't shaking hands and kissing babies, he rewards the stadium ground staff with cash.

The brilliance of MS Dhoni isn't that he's the best; it's that he's everything the best should be.

You Responded to Cricket’s Big One

How much of the ICC Revenue should India receive in this next deal?

57% believe revenues should be split evenly among teams.

Adidas are Back in the Crease

India is set to don the iconic Three Stripes on their whites for the first time as they welcome Adidas back to the international cricket stage.

After months of speculation, it was confirmed by the BCCI that the deal will run up to March 2028, with the timely debut of the latest gear at the World Test Championship Final.

It's been five years since Adidas were last in cricket's big leagues after losing the partnership with England to New Balance. So what made them whack the pads back on and re-enter the game?

Enter Bjørn Gulden
The new CEO of Adidas is the old CEO from Puma. The same Puma that launched the first-of-its-kind e-commerce app in India and signed Virat Kohli in 2017.

Looking deeper, Adidas should take satisfaction out of the most followed sports star in the world and a current PUMA-contracted athlete now wearing the Three Stripes on his chest every time he walks out to the wicket… Bjørn knows India.

"We are proud to partner with BCCI and Team India, the most iconic team in India. Cricket is the most important sport in India, and it is very important for us to be visible and invest in it... I believe India to be the fastest growing sports market for the next decades."

Adidas CEO Bjørn Gulden (ex-CEO of PUMA)

The most streamed event in world history
Adidas' timing couldn't be better with the World Cup in India's backyard later this year. Some anticipate the CWC to be the most streamed event in world history. Even if the team may not feel fresh (comeback Jasprit), the Indian side will look fresh.

No swoosh for the Bharat Army
Adidas' comeback tour looks smooth despite having to push the Yeezy cargo off the ship and take a €400M loss ($441 million) last quarter. Financials aside, gaining control of a cricket nation that spent 15 years with Nike before breaking up is a grand win. Anything the Swoosh can do…

The Slip Corden

  • Mr Roy goes to Hollywood
    In an unprecedented move, Jason Roy is poised to make history as the initial English cricketer to leave his contract with the ECB and join the LA Knight Riders for the inaugural season of Major League Cricket. The Knight Riders are set to pay him 5x what the English side was willing to offer, according to Wisden.

  • Pietersen calls It

    “Save the tweet,” says Kevin Pietersen. “Cricket will be club-based in the not too distant future.” Given all the reports, this should come as no surprise. It’s just happening so fast.

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