Bought India back-up from the fixing saga unhurt:
The match-fixing scandal that surrounded the then skipper Mohammad Azharuddin back in 2000, was one of the worst times in Indian cricket for a long time.
The BCCI then decided to dump the responsibility on Dada who duly obliged. He instilled a confidence into the team that faded away during the scandal and took India to great heights in both the formats in just the next 3 years. He had the support of the likes of Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid as he managed to act as the glue that stuck the team together.
Dhoni came into the side under Ganguly, learnt about the game silently behind the stump and took over a side that was on the rise. He is exceptional with his abilities but has never faced the challenge of being the underdogs.