Sunil Gavaskar lashes out at MS Dhoni's critics after India defeat
Former Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has defended India’s limited-over captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni from the critics after the first match defeat against South Africa team, reports NDTV. Gavaskar blasted out while on a cricket show and asked everyone to stop pointing out fingers at players.
South Africa defeated India by 5 wickets in the first one-day international of the 5-match series at the Green Park in Kanpur. Rohit Sharma’s heroic 150 runs went in vain as the visitors came back in the game eventually after getting some quick important Indian wickets.
Dhoni has been blamed by many in cricket fraternity and questions are continuously on the rise over his spot in the team especially after the big defeat in Bangladesh and now against the Proteas in the home Twenty20 series.
"Mahendra Singh Dhoni is still India's No. 1 finisher. Obviously, as you get old your powers get less but that is the case with every profession and not just sports. Whenever there is a loss, we like to find a scapegoat and today the Indian captain is being made that, which is not right," Gavaskar said. "Please don't point fingers at someone who has brought so many laurels to the country over the years. If there is one area where the Indian team has to improve, it is the bowling."
He continued and said Indian bowling should be the main concern right now. He used the first match as an example where AB de Villiers helped South Africa scored a total of 65 runs in the last five overs.
"Bowling is a big worry for the Indian team in the current situation. Our bowlers got hit for 100-odd runs in the last 10 overs. It was sad to see that the bowlers, who have spent so much time with the Indian team were not confident in the death overs. I can understand that a yorker may go fuller, but if someone is bowling length balls that are getting clobbered into the stands then it seems that you are not ready to learn," he said.
Gavaskar suggested Indian team should play Mohit Sharma in the ODIs and also give more often chances Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
"And if you are not ready to learn then you have got no place in the team. I personally want to see Mohit Sharma in the team. He bowls well in the limited overs format and the death overs so he might be included. I also want Bhuvneshwar Kumar to get regular opportunities."
The Mumbaikar spoke about the Rohit’s performance and said: "Rohit Sharma is now an important member of the Indian team. He scored half the runs of the Indian innings and that says it all. He kept the flow of runs intact. He also played some exquisite shots, especially that sweep off JP Duminy."