Dhoni awarded honorary doctorate degree by British University

ANI

Leicester (UK), Aug 30 (ANI): Team India captain, Mahendra Singh Dhoni was awarded an honorary doctorate degree by De Montfort University of United Kingdom on Monday The award ceremony took place after India won the Twenty20 practice match against Leicestershire. Speaking on the occasion, Dhoni said he got the prestigious award because of the team playing consistent cricket over the last couple of years. "For the team I have done it. We have done really well in the past few years and I think it is because of the team I have got this honorary degree right now. So, I feel really honored and it is a very special day," said Dhoni. Praising Leicestershire, Dhoni said it was a very a beautiful place to visit and has become more special as the team won the T20 match as well. "I think it is a very special place and after winning the T20 that the Leicester team have done recently, I think they have done a really good job and the last game was a very good one for all of us," added Dhoni. Talking about the inclusion of new talents in the team, he said as captain he is trying his best to give the younger players a chance to play at the international level so that they can adapt to the environment and the game. "Well of course, it is a completely different side. We have youngsters coming in the last three practice games that we had, we tried to get the most out of it. So, we try to give may be two games to each and every player and we have been able to do that. Talking about youngsters who perform today, Dhoni said: " Well, of course they are as they play more and more games you know they will get better and better because that is what international cricket is all about. You see your own limitations and accordingly you improve, so I am really hopeful that the players who have come in they have got the talent and it is just that they need to be groomed and given more time." Under his captaincy the Indian team has achieved many feats including winning the 2007 International Cricket (ICC) Twenty20 World Cup, the 2007-08 Commonwealth Bank One-Day series in Australia and most recently the 2011 Cricket World Cup. In the 2011 World Cup final he scored a brilliant 91 not out to lift the trophy for India. In 2008 and 2009 he was also named the ICC's One-Day International player of the year. Dhoni started his sporting life at school but it was football and badminton that caught his interest to begin with. It was only after his football coach sent him to play cricket for a local club in his home town in Ranchi that his love and talent for the game became apparent. By Praful Kumar Singh (ANI)