After his struggles with the bat in the just-concluded Asia Cup, there has been a lot of criticism of Mahendra Singh Dhoni. There are plenty of questions being asked about his role and position in the Indian side.
However, former captain and coach Anil Kumble has thrown his support behind Dhoni and believes that the seasoned campaigner should be given freedom to enjoy the final phase of his career.
“The Indian middle-order still does not have a settled look and the team can’t keep depending on Mahendra Singh Dhoni to be the finisher. He should be left to enjoy the game and engage with younger players to finish games,” Kumble was quoted as saying by Sportstar.
It should be mentioned here that despite being a dominant force in ODI cricket, the Indian team has not found a viable solution to the middle order woes and this has hampered the team’s chances on quite a number of occasions. Dhoni too has struggled to get going and soaks up a lot of deliveries in the middle overs which has put pressure on the lower order.
In the Asia Cup, Dhoni was just a pale shadow of himself and could only manage 77 runs in four innings including a duck against Hong Kong in the opening match.
{{/usCountry}}In the Asia Cup, Dhoni was just a pale shadow of himself and could only manage 77 runs in four innings including a duck against Hong Kong in the opening match.
{{/usCountry}}However, he is still India’s go-to man and is the support system of the on-field captains. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have both picked his brains on the field and he is vital to forging tactics. However, with his struggles with the bat, it remains to be seen if the selectors are willing to give him a different role leading into the 2019 World Cup.