Addressing the MS Dhoni conundrum
Mahendra Singh Dhoni. The name is enough to get millions of fans exciting, not only in India but in all the major cricketing nations. He has been serving the nation for more than 10 years now and is an idol for many people, including me. I have always been fascinated by his calmness in every situation. He remains the same, no matter what and this is what makes him unique.
From a wicket-keeper batsman to a captain to a finisher, he has been right on the money in every aspect. The greatest wicketkeeper, the greatest captain of India and undoubtedly one of the greatest finishers of all time has recently completed 10,000 runs in ODI cricket. This itself is a great achievement for a batsman who has played the major share of his career at no. 6 or no. 7 position. But is this the end of a wonderful career of one of the greatest ODI cricketers India has ever produced?
The problem
Many would criticize me for even asking this question but then there would be some who would themselves want to put a question mark on his position in Indian cricket. The debate is going on for a few years now, and the reason is quite obvious. Cricket lovers want India to win the ICC World Cup 2019. And with that perspective, individuals even as big as Dhoni can be put to question when not performing up to the mark.
His performance has been an issue for quite some time now. In the recently concluded England-India ODI series, the second ODI was still salvageable but the spirit of a fight was never seen in Dhoni. Hardik Pandya tried to increase the run rate but due to lack of support from Dhoni at the other end, he got out. So, what is the quality that lacks in Dhoni right now?
The fighting spirit and the belief that he could single-handedly win the game for India; this used to be his biggest plus point during his captaincy days but now he lacks them. And to be in the playing 11 for a country where cricket is followed like a religion, you need to have these two qualities apart from your talent and skill.
What can be done?
Now, let's talk about what could be the possible solutions to this problem. Well, there are quite a few and this is the right time for India to experiment on it.
Dhoni at No.4 - Since the World Cup 2015, India have tried at least 10 different batsmen at this position but none could impress the viewers and the team. Dhoni batting at No. 4 gives him time to settle with one of the top 3 batsmen at the other end. Also, if two or three wickets fall initially, then Dhoni can be the one who can hold one end without getting out easily.
Dinesh Karthik - The kind of form DK has been in for the last one and a half years says a lot about his technique and temperament. He can be the wicketkeeper-cum-finisher India might be looking for. And this is exactly the right time to experiment with him, given his outstanding form.
Young talent - The young buds of Indian wicketkeepers are remarkably well when it comes to power hitting. They might not be as good as Dhoni when it comes to wicketkeeping but batting is a much major aspect in cricket. Quite a few youngsters can bat as per the team needs. Rishabh Pant, Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan are really outstanding newcomers who, if given a chance, might do better than MS Dhoni. Trying them right now will be the best option for Virat.
The debate is still on and will continue if MS keeps performing like this. It is up to Virat and the team management as to how to tackle the situation and use MS Dhoni effectively.