Selectors wanted to look ahead: Gavaskar on Dhoni's elevation

Mahendra Singh Dhoni's elevation got a thumbs-up from batting great Sunil Gavaskar, who complimented the selectors for looking to the future.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni's elevation to one-day captaincy on Thursday got a thumbs-up from batting great Sunil Gavaskar, who complimented the selectors for looking to the future.

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"I don't think they (selectors) had much of an option, simply because I think the selection committee must be wanting to look forward rather than back, otherwise you would have (Sourav) Ganguly and (Sachin) Tendulkar back in contention again," Gavaskar said.

The former captain said going to the old guard "would not have solved any problems" and it was right that they should be looking forward."

Gavaskar, however, said that Dhoni would not have things easy as he starts his ODI captaincy stint. "He is playing against world champions Australia in seven one-dayers and it is not going to be easy," he said during commentary on ESPN.

But he was impressed by the way Dhoni showed composure in the ongoing Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa, especially during the bowl-out against Pakistan.

"He looked very calm and collected. You see a lot of captains clapping and waving arms about when they are under tension and pressure," Gavaskar said.

"Dhoni was not waving his arms frantically. He seemed to be in control of himself which is the most important thing," the former captain said. "Once a leader is in control of himself, he can obviously control the others," Gavaskar added.