3 reasons why Indian selectors need to look beyond MS Dhoni
Mahendra Dhoni has been one of the colossal figures of Indian cricket for the past decade and a half. It would be a travesty of justice to deny the talisman's contributions to Indian Cricket. There have been several matches where Dhoni has helped India snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, that are all now part of legendary folklore.
However, as with any other player, Dhoni also comes with his own limits, that has sadly been breached. His performances over the past few months have not been befitting of a player of his stature and if one has to lay it down in an unambiguous manner, Dhoni is currently past his prime and has reached the fag-end of his career.
His exiguous returns with the bat have not helped his cause. Considering the fact that the 2019 WC is just months away, the selectors need to make a bold call and replace him. Here we have a look at 3 reasons why he must be replaced.
#1 Poor form with the bat
Dhoni has been struggling with the bat for quite some time now. His run with the bat in 2018 hasn't been impressive. In 16 ODIs this year, he has scored 228 runs at an average of 28.13. However, the most worrying aspect is his strike rate, which stands at a scant 67.37.
In England this year, Dhoni could manage only 79 runs from 3 ODIs. One of the major reasons ascribed for India's defeat was his painstaking rate of run-scoring at a strike rate which stood in the 60s. Considering the fact that next year's World Cup is scheduled to take place in England, the selectors need to take a cue from Dhoni's form in England earlier this year.
Having seen his recent form, one could be forgiven to think that MSD has been given too long a rope. In the 2018 Asia Cup, Dhoni scored only 77 runs but was still surprisingly retained in the team for the Windies series while Dinesh Karthik, who scored 146 runs, was dropped from the team.