The pressure has been mounting on captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni for some time now and it finally showed last night following India’s first ever ODI series defeat against Bangladesh when the wicketkeeper batsman said he was willing to step aside if he is being seen as the reason behind the team’s defeats.
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Bangladesh thrashed India by six wickets in the second ODI of the three-match series to take an unassailable 2-0 lead and when Dhoni was asked about the defeat and its effect on his captaincy, the 33-year-old said he had had enough of people blaming him.
“I’m always the one blamed for everything wrong with Indian cricket. Maybe it is all because of me that everything is happening. If it is justified that you remove me and Indian cricket will start doing well then definitely I would love to step aside and play as just a player.
“Ultimately, it is most important for India to win and not who is leading them to the win,” said Dhoni, in Mirpur. “I was never really in line to become the captain, but it was given to me. Now if you take it away from me, I will still be happy because what is more important for me is to play for the country and contribute to a win.”
It has been a difficult few days for Dhoni with India losing comprehensively to Bangladesh and news emerging from India that his links with a sports management firm that handles other Indian players is being probed by the BCCI. Although the Indian board denied any special inquiry, it has only added to the negativity surrounding Dhoni.
The India captain also had to explain why Ajinkya Rahane, one of India’s in-form batsmen, had been dropped for the match.
“We all felt that he needs pace on the wicket to play well. On faster wickets he plays a lot better. But when he plays at number four or five on a slower wicket, he finds it difficult to freely rotate the strike,” Dhoni added.
“This problem of his is especially seen at the start of his innings. It’s not easy. Ajinkya will have to wait.
“Whenever Rayudu has gotten a chance to play for India, apart from this match, he has done well for us.
“He is a good character to have in the side. He is not someone who looks very stylish but is someone who can score runs for you which is more important.”
