India has had two difficult weeks of cricket. They were hammered by Pakistan in the first match by 8 wickets. Subsequently, New Zealand decimated India by 8 wickets. India’s world cup campaign in the 2021 ICC T20 world cup is all but over. A pertinent fact that people seem to have forgotten is that MS Dhoni is with the men’s Indian cricket team in the capacity of a mentor. He was appointed by the BCCI as a team mentor before the IPL commenced and fans were ecstatic that he will be associated with the team in form capacity.
However, a mentor is very different from a player and captain. Dhoni in the Indian cricketing attire may remind us about his playing days. There is a definite sense of nostalgia but it is very different from actually playing on the field. The effect of him not being on the pitch could be felt in the two defeats that India experienced.
MS Dhoni has a lot of cricket left in him
We look at 5 reasons why Dhoni should not have taken retirement from cricket and how he has enough cricket left in him.
1. IPL proves he has cricket left in him
The 2021 IPL season proves that Dhoni remains the ultimate master strategist of the game. His ability to make a team and then inspire the team to go on and achieve the target is incredible. He was as athletic as he used to be in his prime. he was great behind the wickets and his glove work remains unmatched. His innings in the Qualifier 1 where he finished off the match with a 6 balls 18 runs innings was a reflection of Dhoni from his prime.
2. Captaincy instincts intact
The captain inside MS Dhoni would live immortal. When the 2020 IPL ended, CSK ended in the bottom half of the table. Last year, it was the first time in the history of IPL that they did not qualify for the playoffs. Looking at the stats, where CSK is a definite finalist, it was shocking for fans and pundits to not see CSK in the finals. However, Dhoni had stated that they will come back strongly. When the 2021 IPL started, the team played with a renewed gusto as if to prove them detractors wrong. They won the trophy and this is testament of Dhoni’s ability to come back after being down and being an incredible captain.
3. Could stop India’s dismal performance in ICC competitions
The last time India won an ICC trophy was in 2013 under Dhoni’s captaincy. It was the Champions Trophy. Ever since India has made it to the semi-finals of the ODI World Cup and T20 World Cup. They also made it to the finals of the World Test Championship. In all of these tournaments, they failed to convert it into a trophy. The team would do well to have Dhoni back and break the trophy drought.
4. Finisher at no. 5 which India is missing
India has missed a strong finisher for some time. India played Pant and Pandya in the ongoing world cup with the hope that they would finish games and put up respectable scores. Another expectation from them was to save the batting in case of a top-order collapse. They failed in both aspects. Dhoni has been a consistent performer for both these roles and he still has it in him to salvage the team from a difficult position.
5. Support to Virat Kohli
Dhoni continued to play for India after giving up his position as the captain of the Indian cricket team. His years of experience had a positive impact on the team as he guided bowlers and fielders inside the ring. Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav had a golden run during Dhoni’s stint behind the stumps. If Dhoni continued playing, the team will have an important voice in the leadership position.
