After having a rarest full off-year in 2018 with the bat, MS Dhoni has returned to his lethal vintage batting format at the very beginning of the New Year (2019). Now, his childhood coach Keshav Ranjan Banerjee has claimed that the number 5 is the best position for the Indian wicketkeeper-batsman.
The last year was the only full calendar year for Dhoni where he hasn’t played a 50+ knock in ODI and he finished that year with the batting average of just 25.00. However, the situation has just started to change at the early of the New Year after Dhoni has scored the half-century knocks in the first two games of the new calendar year.
Also read: Ashwin Is Very Happy To See Dinesh Karthik In Successful Finisher Role
Observing the present situation of the Indian cricket team, many have suggested Dhoni bat at no.4 position in the limited-overs cricket as India is still in search to fix this important place. Even recently, the limited-overs vice-captain Rohit Sharma said that the no.4 position would be the ideal batting position for Dhoni.
However, Dhoni’s childhood coach Keshav Ranjan Banerjee has claimed that the no.5 batting position suited the former Indian World Cup-winning captain.
After the Adelaide ODI, where Dhoni secured the game by playing an unbeaten knock of 55 off 54 balls, his childhood coach told Sportstar, “This position, No 5, suits him. Not every player can go in and start smashing. He would need to go deep into the game, adjust with the pitch as well as the field set-up. Now he has Dinesh Karthik and Ravindra Jadeja to back him up. When batting at No. 6 or No. 7, he may run out of partners. There is also no guarantee that he will score a 50 in every game.”
Also watch: MS Dhoni Forget To Raise His Bat After Completing His Half-Century
Recently, many experts have questioned Dhoni’s decision to not play the domestic cricket rather than taking the rest during an international break.
However, Keshav feels that the break is good and important for a cricketer. He also has welcomed the rotation policy in the national team to keep the players fresh prior to the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup in England & Wales, starting on 30 May.
Also read: ICC Feels Nostalgia As MS Dhoni Finish A Chase With A Six
Keshav said, “A break is good for players, and it worked for him. It helps a cricketer sustain his potential, or else, once he is appearing in 15 to 20 matches in a row, the workload takes a toll and it can finish a career. This rotation policy was needed to conserve Dhoni’s energy in the World Cup year.”
