What’s the story?
Former Australian captain Michael Clarke feels that MS Dhoni has earned the right to continue playing as long as he wishes. The renowned tactician, who bid adieu to the game following the 2015 Ashes, has heaped praise on the wicket-keeper batsman whom he loves watching in action.
Speaking to CNN-News18, Clarke quipped, “I loved playing against Dhoni, he is an absolute gentleman and I still feel he has got a lot to offer as a player. His leadership even without being the captain, I feel will be very useful for India. I still love watching him play. I think he has earned the right to play for as long as he wants. He has been a wonderful player and captain in all formats of the game. And like I said, I still believe he has a lot to offer to Indian cricket.”
In case you didn’t know...
Dhoni stepped down from both the ODI and T20I captaincy a couple of days back. However, the 35-year old will continue to play both formats with Virat Kohli taking over the leadership mantle from him.
Earlier in the day, India’s squad for the upcoming limited-overs tussles against England was named. While Rishabh Pant has been included in the T20I side, there is no back-up for Dhoni in the ODI team. With the 2017 Champions Trophy only months away, the veteran in the final phase of his stellar career could still be an integral part of the set-up.
The heart of the matter
Clarke shared his thoughts on the prospect of Dhoni playing under Kohli’s captaincy and opined that the 35-year old’s extensive reservoir of experience should still benefit the Indian white-ball teams.
The erstwhile middle-order batsman pointed to the ‘fantastic’ working relationship between the two stars while making his case. Interestingly, he came up through the Australian ranks during Ricky Ponting’s captaincy stint before eventually succeeding the Tasmanian at the helm of affairs.
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With the current circumstances in India showing a few similarities, Clarke asserted that Kohli could walk up to Dhoni for advice during pressure-filled moments and thus replicate his Test success in the limited-overs arena as well.
What next?
The ODI and T20I series against England will provide an early peek into how the Indian team shapes up under Kohli’s full-time captaincy while Dhoni, the player, could be the cynosure of all eyes. The first match of the series is set to begin on the 15th at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune.
Sportskeeda’s Take
One look at recent results suggest that India’s limited-overs fortunes largely hinge on Kohli’s form. However, Dhoni, playing without the additional pressure of captaincy, could bolster the team’s batting lineup considerably aside from providing a safe option behind the stumps too.
Taking into account his fitness level and hunger to contribute, the seasoned campaigner may well have a few more impactful moments left in him.
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