Would pick MS Dhoni even in worst of forms, says former Indian Cricket Team Coach

Would pick MS Dhoni even in worst of forms: Former Indian Cricket Team Coach opines Dhoni’s role akin to Sachin Tendulkar in the team

What MS Dhoni brings to the table and what he means to the current Indian Cricket Team is a given. From current Indian team coach, Ravi Shastri to skipper Virat Kohli, everyone time and again have spoken quite highly of the former skipper.

Adding to the list, the former Indian Cricket Team coach, Anshuman Gaekwad has compared Dhoni- the ‘mentor’, to legend Sachin Tendulkar as he feels that the former is playing the same role Tendulkar once used to play when he was in the team.

Anshuman Gaekwad besides coaching the Indian Team from October 1997 to September 1999, and again in the year 2000 for some time, played 40 Tests and 15 ODIs for India as well. He was India’s coach before John Wright succeeded him.

What did Gaekwad say?

Terming MS Dhoni as the biggest advantage skipper Virat Kohli has, the former right-handed batsman from Baroda said “you can’t go to the shop and buy experience, what Dhoni has”.

And before comparing him to Tendulkar he said,” The biggest advantage Virat (Kohli) has is Dhoni. His mere confidence gives confidence to the captain. You can’t go to the shop and buy experience, what Dhoni has. He is the mentor of the Indian Team. when I was coach of the Indian team, I told Sachin during a series against Australia where he had a stiff back, to just stand at slips and don’t move.

“He could not move, he was in a bad situation. So a mere presence of a player makes a big difference to the opposition.”

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He further opined that Dhoni would just enter his team, provided he is just fit, despite not in form.

“If I was the coach, I would play Dhoni if he is fit. Whether he gets runs of not, I don’t care. I play him. His fitness and keeping is out of the world anyway”, the former all-rounder said.

Gaekwad also credited a major part of Team India’s to the head coach, Ravi Shastri. The former coach said, that Shastri operates the way he used to during his time with the team, and credited him for making Virat the team’s ‘boss’, while himself taking the back seat.

“He has done well right from the beginning. He has put captain (Kohli) as the boss of the team. He has taken a backseat unlike Greg Chappell. I did the same with (Md) Azharuddin when he was the captain.

He further added that Shastri compliments with Kohli really well. “Ravi has a great understanding with the captain and is a great man manager. Knowing Virat, the way he pushes the players everyone has to be on their toes and Ravi also helps in that.”

India will kick-off their World Cup campaign from June 5, where they will first face the mighty South Africans in Southampton. Before that, they will play 2 warm-up games against New Zealand and Bangladesh on May 25 and May 28 respectively.