MS Dhoni – Evolving Batting Style: The Flexibility Every Star Professional Needs

    MS Dhoni changed his entire batting game after becoming captain — and got better with age, not worse. Here's what his statistically proven evolution teaches every professional about the trait of Flexibility on the Winning Kite.

    MS Dhoni – Evolving Batting Style: The Flexibility Every Star Professional Needs

    MS Dhoni – Evolving Batting Style: The Flexibility Every Star Professional Needs

    MS Dhoni is remembered as one of the greatest finishers cricket has ever seen. But here is what most people miss: the Dhoni who finished games in 2015 was not the same batsman who blazed sixes in 2005. He rebuilt his own game, in full public view, while everyone was still watching — and he got better, not worse, as he got older. That is not talent. That is Flexibility, and it is one of the rarest traits I see in Indian corporate life.

    In short

    Where this sits on your Winning Kite

    Flexibility is Trait #7 on the EQ — left — side of your Winning Kite (KITE Leadership Framework), inside the Self-Motivation cluster. EQ, RQ and PQ together lift you toward Success — the top of the kite. You do not rise on one strong side; you rise on balance. A professional with brilliant technical skill (PQ) and strong relationships (RQ) can still get grounded if they refuse to bend when the wind changes. Dhoni’s career is the cleanest proof of this I know.

    The Case of MS Dhoni: A Batsman Who Rebuilt Himself Mid-Career

    Most cricketers peak, plateau, and decline. Dhoni did something different. In the early phase of his career, from 2004 to 2011, he was a hard-hitting middle-order batsman. He scored his runs mostly through boundaries — sixes and fours, the kind of innings that get replayed on highlight reels. His approach was aggressive, explosive, fearless. In that period he played 248 innings, scored 16 centuries and 51 half-centuries, and struck at a rate of 86.26.

    Then something changed. Dhoni became captain. And with captaincy came a completely different set of responsibilities. He was no longer just a batsman who needed to score fast — he was the person who had to hold the innings together, read the chase, manage the tail-enders, and make sure the team crossed the line no matter how the match twisted. The team did not need another six-hitter. It needed an anchor.

    So Dhoni changed. Not his talent, not his fitness — his entire batting philosophy. In the second half of his career, from 2012 to 2019, he moved away from boundary-hunting and built his innings on ones and twos, rotating strike, reading the field, and waiting — sometimes agonisingly long — for the right ball to finish the match. According to ESPN Cricinfo, in this period he played 167 innings, scored fewer centuries (just 8) and 45 half-centuries. But here is the number that tells the real story: his strike rate did not fall. It rose, to 89.84.

    Think about what that means. A batsman who deliberately abandoned his most spectacular skill — the six-hitting that made him a star in the first place — and became more efficient, not less, by adopting an entirely different method. He did not cling to what had worked before out of comfort or ego. He read what the team needed, read his own new role, and rebuilt his game around it. That rebuild is what turned him into one of the greatest finishers white-ball cricket has ever produced, and it is what carried India to victories in the 2007 ICC World T20, the 2010 and 2016 Asia Cups, the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup, and the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy.

    The Three Types of Professionals When Change Arrives

    In every organisation I have trained — and I have now trained the Indian Army, BRO, RBI, BARC, JSW Steel and over a thousand corporate leaders — I see the same three types show up whenever a new system, a new role, or a new market forces people to change.

    Type C: The Ones Who Refuse

    These professionals are stubborn and unwilling to consider new ideas. Their bosses explain, their colleagues encourage, management warns — and they still refuse to budge. “I’ve always done it this way.” “This new system is complicated.” “I don’t like uncertainty.” Over time, they become history. This is exactly what happened to companies that behaved like Type C professionals: Kodak invented the digital camera in 1975 but stayed loyal to film until Canon and Sony had already taken the market. Nokia dominated mobile phones but hesitated on smartphones and lost its throne to Apple and Samsung. Blockbuster refused to acknowledge streaming and went bankrupt. Videocon failed to adapt to changing Indian consumer preferences and became a cautionary tale.

    Type B: The Ones Who Change Only Under Pressure

    These professionals change, but only when forced to — when the boss threatens their job, when a competitor launches something better, when there is genuinely no choice left. “Office introduced a fine for coming late? Now I’ll come on time.” “Boss said I’ll lose my job if I don’t learn the new software? Fine, I’ll learn it.” They survive. They keep their jobs. But they never become stars, because they are always reactive, never proactive.

    Type A: The Ones Who Embrace Change Before They Have To

    This is where Dhoni belongs, and it is where the best professionals in every industry belong. Type A people see change as an opportunity, not a threat. They evolve because they understand evolution is essential for growth — not because someone forced their hand. Netflix started as a DVD rental service and led the shift to streaming instead of resisting it. Amazon began as an online bookstore and became a cloud computing giant. Amul kept introducing new products as Indian consumer tastes shifted. Byju’s transformed education in India by embracing technology early. These organisations — and the individuals inside them — proactively embrace change. That is precisely why they succeed.

    The IT Professionals Who Got Left Behind

    This trait is especially critical in technical careers. I have met many software developers who built excellent careers on C, C++ and Java. But when the industry shifted toward Python, AI, machine learning, big data and cloud computing, they refused to adapt. “I’m comfortable with Java,” they told me. “Why should I learn Python now? I’ve been using C++ for years.” They stayed in their comfort zones — and slowly got sidelined. Younger professionals who embraced the new technologies got the best projects, the promotions, the recognition. In an industry where something new emerges every day, facing that change is not optional. It is survival.

    Why We Resist Change: The Emotional Need for Certainty

    Flexibility, or the lack of it, is deeply connected to our emotional needs. In my work I talk about the human need for certainty — the craving for stability, predictable routines, and low risk. There is nothing wrong with wanting certainty. But when that need becomes so strong that it blocks you from accepting change, it becomes a career-limiting problem.

    Here is what happens: when a new rule is introduced, a new strategy is launched, or your work location changes, professionals with a high need for certainty feel that as pain. To avoid the pain, they resist — they become adamant, they complain, they dig in their heels. But resisting change does not make it go away. It only makes you irrelevant. This connects to what psychologist Daniel Goleman calls emotional self-management — the ability to regulate your internal reaction so it does not sabotage your external response. Dhoni’s genius was never just cricketing skill; it was the emotional discipline to let go of a method that had made him famous, without his ego getting in the way.

    I also see this play out far from the cricket field. Think about a girl who moves into her in-laws’ home after marriage — new environment, new culture, new routines. The one who adapts quickly, who fits in and adjusts, moves ahead in life; the one who resists struggles for years. Or take Mr. Rajesh, a business development officer I know at a reputed company, who started as an intern and climbed the ladder purely on his ability to adapt. Over the years he was transferred from Latur to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, then to another office in the same city, then to Pune, and finally to Jalgaon. Most professionals would have complained: “I just settled here, why are they moving me again?” Rajesh never resisted. He adjusted to each new city, each new team, each new set of expectations — and today his colleagues describe him as a rare, true star precisely because that willingness to bend is so uncommon.

    How to Build Flexibility, Step by Step

    StepWhat to Do
    1. Recognise your need for certaintyAsk yourself honestly: do I resist change because it makes me uncomfortable? Naming the fear is the first step past it.
    2. Challenge yourself to embrace uncertaintyAsk what’s the worst that can happen, and what’s the best. Usually the fear is bigger than the reality.
    3. Start smallTake on one task outside your usual role, learn one new tool, volunteer for one project in a different team.
    4. Stay updated with your industryRead industry news, attend webinars, take short courses — the more you track where things are heading, the less change shocks you.
    5. Be open to feedbackListen without defensiveness when a manager or colleague suggests a different approach. Try it before you dismiss it.
    6. Build self-confidenceRemind yourself: I’ve learned new things before, I can do it again. Confidence in your ability to learn makes change less scary.
    7. Change your perception of changeSee it as a chance to learn, to grow your skills, to stand out — not as a disruption to survive.

    With Flexibility vs Without Flexibility: Same Situation, Two Outcomes

    Picture Ramesh, a 15-year manufacturing professional, who resists his company’s new ERP system. He complains, avoids training, keeps printing documents unnecessarily. Six months later his performance review is poor. He feels frustrated and undervalued while his colleagues move ahead, and eventually he is overlooked for promotions and sidelined from important projects.

    Now imagine Ramesh had responded differently. When the ERP rollout was announced, he felt the same discomfort — but he acknowledged it and chose to lean into the challenge instead. He attended every training session, practised the new system, asked questions, and helped his teammates learn too. Six months later his manager tells him: “Ramesh, your willingness to adapt has been impressive. You’ve not only learned the new system, you’ve helped the entire team transition. We’re promoting you to lead the digital transformation initiative.” Same ERP rollout. Same Ramesh. Two completely different careers — decided entirely by Flexibility.

    The Test That Matters

    Here is the simple test I give every audience I train, whether it is a boardroom in Mumbai or a battalion under BRO: when uncertainty hits you, are you able to shift the gear? Think about driving a car — you are constantly checking the road, adapting to traffic, shifting gears based on conditions. That is flexibility in action, every single day, without you even noticing it. The same instinct, applied consciously at work, is what makes the difference between a professional who survives change and one who leads through it.

    You cannot stop change — roles will shift, technologies will shift, your job description will shift. The only real choice is your response. Dhoni did not fight the fact that his team now needed an anchor instead of a hitter. He changed his game to match what was needed, kept his strike rate climbing, and became a legend precisely because he was willing to let go of the version of himself that had made him famous. That is the trait worth building in yourself. Explore how Flexibility connects to the other 24 traits inside the Winning Kite framework, or bring this thinking into your organisation through our Signature Corporate Training Programs and the full list of Corporate Training Topics.

    Bring These Ideas to Your Team

    Avinash Chate turns the traits in Stars at India Inc. into live leadership & emotional-intelligence workshops. TEDx speaker · 11+ yrs training Army, BRO, RBI, BARC, JSW & 1000+ leaders.

    ✅ Thanks! Avinash team will reach out within 24 hours.

    '}).catch(function(e){f.outerHTML='

    Something went wrong. WhatsApp +91 8793630001

    '});return false;">Select ServiceKeynote / Motivational SpeakingLeadership Development TrainingTeam Building WorkshopManager DevelopmentEmployee TrainingBook Avinash Now →

    Or WhatsApp directly: +91 87936 30001

    Work with Avinash Chate

    Avinash Chate

    TEDx Speaker · Founder, The Future Corporate · Author of Stars at India Inc.

    Avinash has trained the Indian Army, BRO, RBI, BARC, JSW Steel and 1000+ corporate leaders across India. His work focuses on leadership, emotional intelligence and behavioural training rooted in Indian values and modern business needs.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    How did MS Dhoni change his batting style over his career?

    In the first half of his career (2004-2011), Dhoni was an aggressive, boundary-hitting middle-order batsman with a strike rate of 86.26, scoring 16 hundreds and 51 fifties in 248 innings. After becoming captain and taking on the anchor role, his strike rate rose to 89.84 in the second half (2012-2019), even as he scored fewer hundreds (8) but became one of limited-overs cricket’s best finishers, relying on singles, doubles and calculated risk instead of pure power.

    What is the Flexibility trait in Avinash Chate’s Winning Kite framework?

    Flexibility is Trait #7 in the Self-Motivation cluster on the EQ (left) side of the Winning Kite. It is the ability to accept change, adapt your approach to new roles, tools, people and circumstances, and see change as an opportunity to grow rather than a threat to resist.

    What are the three types of professionals when it comes to change?

    Avinash Chate describes three types: Type C professionals who refuse to change and eventually get left behind (like Kodak or Nokia), Type B professionals who only change under pressure and merely survive, and Type A professionals who proactively embrace change and become the stars of their organisations, like Netflix or Amazon did in business.

    How can I build flexibility as a workplace skill?

    Start by recognising your emotional need for certainty, then deliberately challenge yourself with small uncertainties — a new tool, a new task, a new team. Stay updated with industry trends, stay open to feedback, build self-confidence in your ability to learn, and consciously reframe every change as an opportunity rather than a disruption.

    Related Articles by Avinash Chate

    Avinash Chate services

    Corporate Trainer in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Aurangabad) · Top Corporate Trainers in Maharashtra · Leadership Trainer in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Aurangabad) · Top Leadership Trainers in Maharashtra · Team Building Trainer in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Aurangabad) · Top Team Building Trainers in Maharashtra · Motivational Speaker in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Aurangabad) · Top Motivational Speakers in Maharashtra · All service locations

    ← Back to all articles · Book Avinash Chate

    By Avinash Chate — Maharashtra’s #1 Corporate Trainer & Motivational Speaker. .