Dhoni reveals turning point of his career

India’s limited-overs skipper MS Dhoni believes the backlash to a disastrous World Cup campaign in 2007 helped him become a better player and person.

Entering the Caribbean-based tournament as one of the favourites, India were embarrassingly knocked out of the group stage after suffering defeats against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, while only beating Bermuda.

It was far from a welcome return home for Dhoni and his teammates, as locals fans and media vented their frustration at the national team’s performance in cricket’s showpiece event.

"At that point of time, when we landed, we had to get out in a police van,” Dhoni said at a media event for his upcoming biopic, MS Dhoni: The Untold Story.

“I was sitting next to Viru [Virender Sehwag] paaji. It was evening or night time.

"We were travelling at a decent speed - 60 or 70kph - and that's quite a bit for India, that too on the narrow roads.

“And, you know, media cars around us with their cameras and the big lights on top, it felt as if we had committed a big crime, maybe like a murderer or terrorist or something.

“We were actually chased by them.

"After a while, we entered a police station. We went there, we sat for a while and then we left in our cars after 15-20 minutes.

“That actually had a big impact on me and I channelised the aggression to become a better cricketer and a better human being."

India, led by Dhoni, memorably buried their demons by achieving the ultimate success on home soil in the 2011 edition of the World Cup.

The wicketkeeper-batsman delivered the ultimate captain’s knock in the final against Sri Lanka, smashing an unbeaten 91 in front of a raucous Mumbai crowd to chase down the target of 275 with six wickets in hand.