World Cup 2019: Virat Kohli backs MS Dhoni after India's win against West Indies

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Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni

What’s the story?

After an exceptionally slow knock against Afghanistan, former Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni played yet another slow knock against West Indies in the World Cup. Many pundits have criticized Dhoni’s 61-ball 56, but he has the backing of his captain Virat Kohli.

In case you didn’t know…

A few days ago, World Cup-winning skipper MS Dhoni scored just 28 runs from 52 balls against Afghanistan at Southampton. India failed to cross even the 230-run mark in that game, and for obvious reasons, the experts blamed Dhoni for it.

The heart of the matter

The 37-year-old had a similar start to his innings when India faced West Indies at Manchester. Though an unbeaten 61-ball 56 looks a good score, the numbers weren’t the same until the last few overs. The veteran scored 16 runs off the last 6 balls.

Before that, it was more a case of singles, doubles, and dots. His approach has puzzled many, and some think that India might have scored more had Dhoni put his foot on the accelerator a bit earlier.

But when Virat Kohli was quizzed about it at the end of the game, he replied:

“Dhoni knows exactly what he wants to do in the middle. When he has an off day here and there, everyone starts talking. We always back him. He has won us so many games. The best thing about having someone like him is when you need those 15-20 runs, he knows exactly how to get them. His experience, 8 out of 10 times has come good for us. We have quite a few players who play instinctive cricket and follow their game plans.”

The 28-year-old even went on to say that Dhoni is a legend of the game, and he understands the game like none other.

“He's such a keen understanding of the game. Always sends us feedback, that you know 260 is a good score. He's a legend of the game.”

What’s next?

There has been a lot of rumours stating Dhoni’s retirement right after the World Cup. Though there are no concrete talks about it, as long as he is a part of the team, the man from Jharkhand has his position sealed and secured.

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