Former India opener Gautam Gambhir recently had a change of heart as he lavished praise on the legendary wicketkeeper-batsman, MS Dhoni, recognizing him as a selfless captain who consistently prioritized the team’s success over personal achievements. Gambhir, who had previously been critical of Dhoni, especially regarding the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup final, where Dhoni played a pivotal unbeaten inning of 91 against Sri Lanka, has now adopted a more appreciative perspective.

Former opener emphasized that Dhoni’s role as captain often overshadowed his personal batting prowess and suggested that, had he not been leading the team, Dhoni could have rewritten numerous ODI records.

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Gautam Gambhir explained, “Because of captaincy, he couldn’t achieve what he could have as a batsman. Many times, as captain, you have to prioritize the team. If MS was not the captain, he could have batted at No. 3. I am sure he could have broken several ODI records. He has won many trophies, but individually, he sacrificed his international runs for the sake of trophies.”

Furthermore, the 41-year-old praised the former India captain as a transformative figure in Indian cricket, highlighting his unique ability to transcend traditional cricketing roles. Gambhir pointed out that while wicketkeepers were historically valued for their skills behind the stumps and then their batting abilities, Dhoni defied convention by excelling as a batter first and a wicketkeeper second.

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“Previously, wicketkeepers were primarily considered keepers and then batsmen. However, MS was a batsman first and then a wicketkeeper. Indian cricket was fortunate to have MS Dhoni, a wicketkeeper-batsman who could win matches from No. 7 because he possessed that power game,” Gautam Gambhir concluded, recognizing Dhoni’s exceptional contribution to the sport.