#360view: Time to make a call on Dhoni's future as captain

Ajit Vijaykumar 04:47 12/05/2016
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  • Support: Sourav Ganguly with Virat Kohli.

    The future of Mahendra Singh Dhoni as India skipper has been discussed on numerous occasions recently. His bat does not produce those trademark audacious hits on demand anymore and his captaincy is looking more restless each passing day.

    But whenever Dhoni has been asked absolutely anything about his captaincy or future, the wicketkeeper batsman has made it a point to brutally swat it away.

    Just how much does Dhoni hate questions about his future? After India lost to the West Indies in the World T20 semi-final, a question regarding his future plans was met by a request from Dhoni, to the Australian journalist, to sit on the stage alongside him.

    An incredulous exchange ensued. And what emerged at the end was Dhoni wanted that question to be asked by an Indian scribe so that he could ask a counter question as to whether the scribe had a brother or son who could play for India as a wicketkeeper.

    That inexplicable response stumped everyone and the media almost stopped bothering to ask Dhoni about his future, lest they be taken to task in an even more alarming manner.

    It was as if those observing the game simply don’t have the right to ask anything about where a team’s leader, and by relation the team, is headed.

    But now Dhoni and the team management can’t escape the uncomfortable question anymore because former India captain Sourav Ganguly has urged the selectors to take a call on who should be India’s captain at the 2019 World Cup.

    Ganguly is less than enthusiastic about the chances of Dhoni being the best candidate for captaincy four years down the line, especially as Virat Kohli has come on by leaps and bounds as a batsman and skipper.

    Ganguly isn’t just any former player. He is one of the greatest captains India has had, is the president of the Bengal state association and enjoys enough clout within the BCCI. So when Ganguly speaks his mind, his views carry a lot of weight.

    Now is the time for the Indian management to take a call on the captaincy. Dhoni continues to be fit for limited overs cricket and has something to offer with the bat, the gloves and in the field with his experience. But the scenario in 2019 might be totally different. And more importantly, teams need to plan about the next World Cup well in advance, especially if their current limited overs captain seems closer to the end of his career.

    Ganguly said he has nothing against Dhoni the player but it’s the captaincy role he is worried about.

    With Kohli waiting in the wings to take over from Dhoni, every series that the Indians play from now on without taking a concrete decision on the future India captain will only add to the uncertainty and it won’t allow the team to take a definitive step forward.

    If the Indian management genuinely thinks that Dhoni has to be the captain in 2019, make it clear right away and stick to that decision, come hell or high water. But if Virat seems the way forward for India cricket, a view shared by many, then it makes perfect sense to hand him the leadership and allow Dhoni to contribute as a player.

    Dhoni has achieved absolutely everything in the cricket field. He really doesn’t have anything to prove. However, Virat has a long way to go as a leader.

    If his journey as captain in all formats begins as soon as possible, it can only be good for him and Indian cricket.

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