On a day when the Board of Control for Cricket in India president Shashank Manohar sent shock waves through the cricket world by stepping down from his post, there were minor tremors on the sidelines
On a day when the Board of Control for Cricket in India president Shashank Manohar sent shock waves through the cricket world by stepping down from his post, there were minor tremors on the sidelines with former India captain Sourav Ganguly coming out in favour of uniting leadership in all three forms of the game under Test skipper Virat Kohli.
Speaking on a television channel’s sports show where he is a retained expert, Ganguly, now president of the Cricket Association of Bengal, suggested it was time for ODI and T20 captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, 35, to make way for his younger compatriot who has been in blistering form for the past year and more.
Kohli, 27, is in his early days as Test captain (10 matches, five wins, two losses, three draws), but his imperious form with the bat has inevitably raised the question of when, and not if, he will become India skipper in ODIs and T20 cricket as well.
“Every cricket team in the world plans their future. But my question to the selectors is three-four years down the line, do they see M.S. Dhoni as captain of India ” Ganguly asked.
“Dhoni has been captain for nine years, which is a long period. Does he have it in him to go for another four years He has already given up Test cricket and now plays only ODIs and T20s,” Ganguly pointed out.
“Virat Kohli is getting better. He is probably the best in the world in terms of consistency. His mental energy, tenacity is unreal. His attitude on the field is superb. His record as Test captain has been good. “So the selectors need to find an answer to whether they see Dhoni leading India in 2019 If the answer is no, then find a new captain. If the answer is yes, which I will find very, very surprising, Dhoni continues,” Ganguly added.
Adding to a growing groundswell of opinion on the matter is the less than impressive display, Dhoni - India’s second World Cup winning captain after Kapil Dev - has turned in leading Rising Pune Supergiants in the ongoing IPL season.
Despite boasting of a strong squad, Pune are seventh out of eight teams in the league table with just three wins in 10 matches so far. From a captain who has won the IPL twice and been semi-finalists or better every time with Chennai Super Kings, Dhoni has struggled at the helm with RPS.
Said former India all-rounder Kirti Azad on the Dhoni-Kohli captaincy issue, “I am very happy that Sourav has come out with this view. I think there is nothing wrong in what he’s said. I hope Dhoni will realise this himself and see what he needs to do in the best interest of the nation.”
Added former team-mate Madan Lal, also a World Cup winner along with Azad in 1983, “Whatever Sourav is talking is the right thing.
“It’s not against Dhoni at all. Sourav is talking about the 2019 World Cup. We have to look ahead with all due respect to Dhoni. I don’t know for how many years he is going to play, that’s up to him. But, somewhere the selectors have to focus on the future of the Indian team.”
Dhoni is on record as having said he would like to play limited overs cricket for India till the next World Cup (2019). Whether Kohli’ ever-growing stature will allow that or not remains to be seen.
