4 Indian cricketers who'll now have to live up to MS Dhoni's standards
MS Dhoni announced his retirement from international cricket yesterday and while the manner of the announcement did come as a shock, most fans knew that he would never play for India again.
The postponement of the T20 World Cup may have proved to be the final straw, with the former Indian captain walking away from the international stage on the occasion of the Indian Independence Day.
4 players who'll have to live up to MS Dhoni's standards
MS Dhoni last played a game for India in the 2019 World Cup and in the one year that has followed, India have struggled on many fronts. Decisions by the captain have come under the scanner, while the lack of a finisher lower down the order has been woefully apparent. The Men in Blue have also missed the wicket-keeper's quick work behind the stumps.
Now that it is confirmed that MS Dhoni will never play for India again, we take a look at 4 cricketers who'll have a tough time living up to the 2011 World Cup-winning captain's legacy.
#4 KL Rahul
KL Rahul has donned the gloves recently in ODIs, although whether he is good enough with the gloves on to be a specialist wicket-keeper is yet to be ascertained. The Kings XI Punjab captain currently bats in the middle order, usually at No. 5 as a result of Shreyas Iyer's stronghold over the No. 4 spot.
And Rahul has often been entrusted with the responsibility of keeping the runs flowing in the middle overs before launching towards the end of the innings. With the Karnataka man taking up a variety of roles for the team, the comparisons with MS Dhoni are inevitable.
He will have to be safe behind the stumps, and he will have to be dynamic and consistent with the bat. KL Rahul might even have to close games for India in the absence of the greatest finisher of all tine.