New Delhi: India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said he had never planned to promote himself up the order during the World Cup final against Sri Lanka and it was coach Gary Kirsten who came up with that instant idea.

Dhoni scored an unbeaten 91 and also had hit a six to clinch the coveted title for India during the final at the Wankhede in April this year.

“I hadn’t planned to promote myself and play earlier. Gary (then coach Kirsten) asked me if I would go early... I thought with two spinners, may be I should.

It worked for me,” said Dhoni at the NDTV Indian Of The Year Awards 2011, where the Indian team won the award for India’s Heroes of the Year for the World Cup magic and history.

Dhoni said he promoted himself ahead of in-form Yuvraj Singh as he felt he would be able to tackle the spinners better, especially Muttiah Muralidharan, with whom he played in the IPL as a part of Chennai Super Kings.

“Gautam (Gambhir) and I do take cheeky singles very well. Yuvi and I run the doubles very well,” he said.

Asked how he keeps his cool in pressure situations, the 30-year-old Dhoni said: “I get influenced by pressure but I have so much grey hair because I don’t let expressions on field reveal this.”

All his collegues also had many good things to share about their captain.

Sreesanth, who was picked in the final ahead of Ravichandran Ashwin after Ashish Nehra got injured, said: “He’s (Dhoni) like a brother.”

“He pushed me down in the order,” joked Yuvraj.

Asked about his captain, Virat Kohli said: “He backs his players all the time.”