After the defeat of the Indian team in the second T20I against New Zealand at Rajkot, some pundits asserted that MS Dhoni’s slow start innings cost India the game chasing a challenging 197 to win.
The loss also brought the daggers back out for Dhoni, whose role in the India’s T20 set-up was questioned by veterans like VVS Laxman and Ajit Agarkar. But Sunil Gavaskar chose to support Dhoni, saying that it’s “unfortunate” to “only point fingers at Dhoni”.
In two different post-match shows, Laxman and former India pacer Agarkar had suggested that MS should hang his boots from T20Is and allow a youngster to take the role. While Gavaskar respected their opinions, he believed there were many other reasons for India’s defeat than Dhoni, who eventually scored 49 in 37 balls with some firepower late in his innings.
Talking to NDTV, Gavaskar said, “VVS and Ajit are completely entitled to their opinion. They have played a lot of cricket for India and it is their view. It might not necessarily be the selectors’ nor the captain’s view and we just have to wait and see.”
Analysing the second T20I, Laxman expressed that Dhoni should only remains “integral” to India’s scheme of things for ODIs but not in T20Is. He said, “I feel it’s time for MS Dhoni to give youngsters a chance in the T20 format. It will be an opportunity for a youngster to blossom and get confidence playing international cricket. He is definitely an integral part of ODI cricket.”
Dhoni’s career is probably at its dusk but one needs to agree that to a certain extent, the former skipper knows when to exit, which became evident from his decision of Test retirement. Talking about the same, Gavaskar said, “When somebody reaches an age beyond 30, then I think every time, all of us are looking to find fault with that over-30 person. We actually hasten somebody’s retirement from the game by demanding too much of the person.”
In another show on ESPNcricinfo, Agarkar had said, “I think India must now look at other options, at least in T20Is. In one-day cricket, they seem to be happy with the role that he (Dhoni) is playing. When you were the captain of the side, it was different. But just as a batsman, will India miss him? I don’t think so. In T20 cricket, it is a lot easier to make that transition as there is a lot of experience in that team apart from MS Dhoni now.”
The veteran Test batsman was also surprised with the fact that why only Dhoni’s innings put under the scanner after the defeat, he said, “We will not look at the failure of others in the same innings. Hardik Pandya getting out for one by not picking up a googly. We will not look at that. We will not look at the fact that openers did not give the usual start. We will only point a finger at MS Dhoni. So that is unfortunate. That is India for you.”
