Opinion- What lies ahead for ‘Captain Cool’ MS Dhoni?
A lot of talk was going on in the build-up to the World Cup regarding India being the firm favorites to win the tournament. They seem to have had all their bases covered and everything was going in the right direction despite Shikhar Dhawan and Vijay Shankar getting injured midway during the tournament.
The only clear blemishes were the fact that no one nailed down the No.4 spot after Vijay Shankar was ruled out of the WC and the fact that the spin duo of Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal didn’t fire in tandem right through the tournament.
Overall, on the big day of the semi-finals, New Zealand were the better side and they had their fair share of luck going their way, with some shabby shot selection and questionable strategy from the Indians proving to be their undoing.
Post the World Cup, the most important and crucial question to be asked is - Has MS Dhoni decided to call time on his career? If not, what lies ahead for the master tactician?
For a cricketer who is respected by cricketers from across borders, it is only right that he gets to choose when to hang up his boots.
There are two facets of MS Dhoni that need to be considered- The wicket-keeper/ batsman and the strategician and the senior statesman. It is pretty clear that with him already 38 years old, his skill with the gloves is slowly fading.
The important decision the Indian team management need to make very soon is whether MS Dhoni is going to be their first choice for wicket-keeper/batsman. His record in ODIs speak for for themselves but on current form and what the team plans to achieve in the coming future, where does MS Dhoni feature in that scheme of things?
With some reports stating that MS Dhoni opted out of the Windies tour starting from August 3, it’s looking obvious that he’s paving the way for the likes of Rishabh Pant and maybe the other wicket-keeper/batsmen in line to give them more opportunities.
But then in that case, shouldn’t he have retired in a grand manner after the end of the World Cup?
MS Dhoni almost commands the similar respect and stature Sachin Tendulkar received in his playing days. Sachin Tendulkar also dragged his international career by a few years, probably in pursuit of the 100 international centuries record. MS Dhoni finds himself in a similar situation now.
His batting and wicket-keeping is clearly on a downward slope. Even his most ardent and loyal fans should accept the fact that ‘Captain Cool’ MS Dhoni is no longer the same force as a batsman or wicket-keeper anymore. Lot of cricket and age is acting up but considering what he has achieved in recent times especially, will be tough for the fans to let go.
His experience and calm, composed attitude in crunch situations is a big positive for Virat Kohli. Many times in the World Cup 2019 we saw Virat Kohli following what he said few months back, “For me Mahi Bhai is always the captain”.
This tendency of Virat Kohli going to MS Dhoni for some strategic inputs may prove to be India’s downfall.
India need to look ahead and plan for the ICC World Cup, 2023 right away. Some experts are asking for Rohit Sharma to be made the ODI captain and allow Virat Kohli to focus more on his batting. Amidst all these talks there is no clarity on where MS Dhoni’s career is headed.
He has signed a contract with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) till 2020 and if he stays fit, there’s no reason why he can’t lead them and play for CSK for two more seasons. Ideally speaking, this home season, MS Dhoni must put an end to his international career.
It will be very interesting to see what he choses to do. However, one thing is for sure. The world is waiting in bated breath to see the final decision, which can come only straight out of the horse's mouth.
Note: The opinions of the author do not necessarily reflect the views of Sportskeeda.
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