While there are many who have been speculating that it is time for MS Dhoni to hang up his boots, especially after the latest debacle against England, there are still plenty of reasons why Dhoni is irreplaceable to the team
It is much easier to be critical of someone else when one is not playing to the tunes themselves. The recent wake of trolling and criticisms against Mahendra Singh Dhoni following India’s loss in the ODI series against England are confirming to the above statement. While many labelling his run scoring as sluggish and the Indian middle order has been suffering due to his lack of run scoring, Dhoni remains a vital part of team India.
Dhoni, ever since his debut in 2004 has been in the spotlight. Be it for his long locks, or his explosive batting style; Dhoni is known for both his personal brand of cricket that he plays as well as his calm and collected presence he displays on the field.
While there are many who have been speculating that it is time for MSD to hang up his boots, especially after the latest debacle against England, there are still plenty of reasons why Dhoni is irreplaceable to the team:
His experience is crucial and vital to the team. From a young pitch hitter who had a knack of racking up big scores in the middle order, Mahi evolved into an unmatched leader. The Padmabhushan awardee with his evolution as a better batsman, developed as his USP, his ability to clinch victory and finish the innings on a winning note even in absolute gutting situations. His being a good wicketkeeper, one of the best India has seen yet, has also resulted in him gaining a perspective and reading of the pitch that is often crucial for bowlers. India's young spinners, Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal, have gone on record and said that Dhoni, thanks to his experience, gets a grip of the pitch's behaviour quite early from behind the stumps and his advice on what to bowl often proves to be the key to demolish the opposition.
The 37-year-old has come under the scanner of critics for his run scoring and ability to finish strong and safe for the country. However, few can deny that his fitness is as good as it was in his 20s. His ability to convert ones into twos and twos into threes is still unparallel. With his wicketkeeping skills still impressive and his stumpings still retaining that lightning fast speed, he is easily the best that is in the business.
However, with his run scoring under scrutiny, parallels are inevitably being drawn between his IPL performances. What is significant to note that the atmosphere of IPL is distinct from that of playing for the Nation and while he bats at a top order in the IPL matches, his position in the national team is usually 5 or 6 which puts the onus of seeing the team to a safe score on him without actually giving him the space to be explosive. Keeping this in mind, it could be beneficial for the team if he is played at number 4.
This man has indeed come a long way in the past 14 years and while the years may have dimmed his roar, he is not ready to give up yet.
Read Exclusive COVID-19 Coronavirus News updates, at MyNation.