A rocket to the moon is said to only spend around 7 per cent of its actual journey on the correct course. The only reason it eventually even reaches its destined destination is on the back of a lot of course correction along the way. The Apollo, they say, was off-course for 97 per cent after leaving earth but it still got there in the end without a delay and without any fuss.
INDIA TOUR OF AUSTRALIA, 2018-19
Touche Dhoni
MS Dhoni scored an unbeaten half-century in the successful run-chase in Adelaide © Getty
It's generally a metaphor used for life, where it's advised you have a fixed destination in mind for sure, but keep taking stock of if you're on the right path at every juncture. But it's also a metaphor that fits rather well with a classic MS Dhoni run-chase. It's unlikely the former India captain is much of an astronomy or physics buff. Those around him don't credit him with such varied interests, especially those which are unlikely to be of any use in his daily life. But there are similarities between Dhoni and the Apollo that are hard to miss.
Think about it. When Dhoni walks into bat in the second innings of an ODI, he has a final terminus that's set for him. The target is right there in bold. And for most parts, historically, Dhoni rarely seems to be on course that most others would assume is the correct one.
At times, he's so far off course that even some of his teammates don't quite get what he's actually planning to do. Think back to 2012 right here in Adelaide, and Gautam Gambhir's comment about how "he wouldn't leave it till the end" on a night Dhoni had helped India chase down 270 with a last-over six off Clint McKay.
But the Dhoni brain, like the Apollo, when on track always finds a way of recalibrating its path.
When Dhoni
