Ravi Shastri lashes out at MS Dhoni’s critics

Ravi Shastri was at his vocal best during the post match presentation after last night’s T20 at the Wankhede. Extremely pleased with India’s performance across formats in the Sri Lanka series, Shastri praised on everyone who helped India post a dominating series win over the Lankans.

Shastri apparently has been extremely grieved by critics asking for MS Dhoni’s head, at least in T20 Internationals, as they feel MS is not cut out for that format anymore, owing to his slow strike rate.

Dhoni has been heavily criticised by former Indian cricketers like Agarkar and Laxman, but Shastri believes Dhoni’s fitness and his game is still top notch, and that there is no replacement for him in the Indian domestic circuit as of now.

“We are not stupid. I have been watching this sport for the last 30-40 years. Virat has been a part of this team for a decade now. We know, at this age, he (Dhoni) can beat players aged 26. People who talk, forget that they played the game.” said Shastri.

“If they look at themselves in the mirror and ask the question, ‘what they were at the age of 36?’. Would they have run two runs faster? But the time they finish two, this guy will run three. Then he has won only two World Cups and averages only 51. Till today you don’t have a wicket-keeper to replace him in the one-day team.” Shastri added.

MS Dhoni is still one of the fittest players in the Indian(if not the fittest) and has the backing of MSK Prasad, BCCI’s Chief Selector.

MS Dhoni’s resurgence in limited overs cricket in the past year has a lot do with how the ‘Virat-Dhoni’ relationship has panned out, with the duo sharing an amazing relationship on and off the field.

MS Dhoni will enjoy his rest period now, with the Indian team travelling to South Africa for the Test series, which is scheduled to begin on the 5th of January in Cape Town.