'All-time great' Dhoni backed by Shastri to succeed against the Proteas

File photo of Dhoni and Shastri

Indian cricket team director Ravi Shastri has termed India limited overs captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni as an ‘all-time great’, and backed him to have a successful home series against South Africa.

Dhoni has just returned to the national team squad and will take over the helm for the T20Is and ODIs against the Proteas after a three-month break. Recently, India ended their overseas drought when they won the Test series against Sri Lanka 2-1, under the captaincy of Virat Kohli.

Dhoni’s record in the ODIs is brilliant to say the least. He has scored 8620 runs in 265 games at an average of 52.24 and a strike-rate of 88.95. Under his captaincy, India notched up 101 wins in 181 games with a success rate of 60.58 percent. He is the only captain to have won all three ICC tournaments as skipper, starting with the 2007 World Twenty20 title, followed by the 2011 World Cup victory at home and the 2013 Champions Trophy.

Shastri underlined the fact that Dhoni’s success speaks for himself and that the team would have no problems playing under Dhoni again, despite the team’s recent resurgence under Kohli.

“No problem at all. You are talking of a seasoned campaigner, a legend and one of the all-time greats of world cricket. He takes over a job that he has been doing for a long time,” Shastri said in the press conference as reported by Cricbuzz.

“Everything falls into place automatically. For the team, it’s no difference. They played under him in the World Cup the last time they played a one-day game. They played under him in Bangladesh. So what's different now? They are playing under a champion,” he continued.

It could be a fresh start for Dhoni as his career is reaching a crucial juncture. When asked about whether Dhoni should really bat at number 4, Shastri told reporters that it is high time some of the ‘dirty-work responsibility’ be lifted off his shoulders.

“Don't you think it is about time? He has done the dirty work for the last donkeys years. Give him the chance to enjoy himself. You are talking of probably one of the greatest captains and players to have played the game. I am not talking about India, but world cricket. Check his record, what his achievements are in the shorter format of the game. I don't think anyone will come close to him,” Shastri emphasised.

India’s campaign against South Africa will begin on October 2 when they play the first of the three T20 Internationals in Dharamsala which will be followed by five ODIs and four Tests.