DC Debate: It’s time for Dhoni to give up limited-overs captaincy
DC Debate: It’s time for Dhoni to give up limited-overs captaincy
Step up or step down?
E.A.S. Prasanna Vs Ajit Wadekar
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E.A.S. Prasanna: Let him go, give Rohit a chance
M.S. Dhoni is without doubt one of the most successful India captains in the shorter format of the game. However, in the aftermath of the World Cup and the Bangladesh debacle it does seem as if Captain Cool is losing the plot. His words — “I’m the one always responsible for anything bad that happens in Indian cricket. Everything that happens is because of me” — give me the impression that he lacks confidence in his abilities to lead the team. When a leader utters such comments after a humiliating defeat, I think it’s time to bring in a new man at the helm. With him stating that he is fine with the burden of captaincy being taken away from him, why not try someone with fresh thoughts and energy?
Who can fit into Dhoni’s shoes? The immediate answer is Virat Kohli. But I would like to see Rohit Sharma take over captaincy in One Day Internationals (ODIs). He has exhibited good leadership qualities with Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League. Why not give the young man an opportunity to prove himself? As such there are two captains leading the country across three formats. So let Kohli continue in Tests and Rohit do the job in ODIs and T20s.
There arises the question of how would it be if Dhoni has to play under someone else. Dhoni can do his bit and best as a keeper batsman. Talking of his batting, it has come down a notch since the World Cup. I wouldn’t put it to the pressures of captaincy. That his form is on the wane has got more to do with age. There are a lot of things that play a part. The reflexes, the intention of the batsman and execution of strokes become a variable equation. It’s taking its toll on Dhoni. If he starts to fail with the bat frequently then there is Wriddhiman Saha waiting in the wings.
The biggest problem under Dhoni’s leadership was that he was never aggressive. He was never an attacking skipper. Showing aggression with the bat is different to showcasing aggression on the field. Often lauded for maintaining his composure, Dhoni never had an attacking bowling unit during his eight-year career as the captain. Only when you have the arsenal to pick wickets can you look opposition in the face.
I would say it was Dhoni’s folly. He should have had a say in the selection committee meetings regarding the bowlers. That was a mistake of the selectors as well as the captain himself. The Ranchi man should have expressed his views precisely. If I were Dhoni, I would have said that I want attacking bowlers and I want such and such set of bowlers for the team’s success. Instead he decided to go on the defensive and our bowlers were focused on restricting the rate of scoring.
It’s high time someone else is entrusted with the mantle of taking Indian cricket forward with an aggressive brand of cricket.
(As told to S. Bagawati Prasad)
Ajit Wadekar: Dhoni is the right man for the job
Let’s face facts. With title victories in the 2007 T20 World Cup, 2011 50-over World Cup and the 2013 Champions Trophy, M.S. Dhoni is by far the best captain India can have at the moment, in terms of both experience and success rate. Why should there be a hue and cry over Dhoni’s captaincy? Just because the men in blue have endured a humiliating series loss at the hands of lowly ranked Bangladesh side in their own backyard, it does not mean that the skies have fallen.
Let’s not forget that Bangladesh beat Pakistan 3-0 a month ago. I would term this defeat an aberration. These lows do happen in sport and you have to take them in the right spirit. There is no need for any knee-jerk reaction, such as axing the skipper in the hunt for scapegoats. It’s better to give Bangladesh due credit as they deserve it.
At the moment, Dhoni is possibly the best option available to lead India in the shorter and shortest format of the game. And I don’t see anyone in line to replace him either. His tactical acumen was well depicted in the recently concluded World Cup in which India ended up in the final four Down Under.
Dhoni, the batsman, has always performed up to the mark in both One Day Internationals and T20s. He can bat anywhere in the order. Dhoni is probably one of the best in world cricket who can take pressure and perform in crunch situations. And I feel Dhoni can even open the innings if required. He has the ability to grind his way through tough situations and cash-in later on. Captaincy has never affected his batting and numbers justify the statement made earlier. I feel Dhoni and the Indian team didn’t have enough time to prepare themselves ahead of the ODI series.
This was almost the same team that featured in the Cup. Where did it go wrong then? To begin with didn’t have much practice time with the boys. The change in schedule with our Prime Minister’s visit to Bangladesh also altered the team’s plans. The time was so short that the team had no way of getting to know the strengths and weaknesses of their opposition. It was a complete team failure. You can’t pin it on an individual. The batsmen failed to click and the bowlers leaked runs.
Probably the only thing Dhoni did wrong was replacing Ajinkya Rahane with Ambati Rayudu. That shouldn’t have been done considering Rahane was more settled into the team.
Having said that, I still feel Dhoni is the best option we have and the one with right instincts on the field to be successful. The tendency to remain unfazed under tough situations hasn’t changed in him. The 2019 World Cup in London is still far away and for now his target should be the 2016 World T20 tournament. According to me, he should continue to be the captain as long as he wants to.
(As told to S. Bagawati Prasad)
