Growing clamour for Dhoni's ouster
As India's dismal run in Test cricket continues, former cricketers suggest MS Dhoni be replaced as Test captain.
- NDTVSports
- Updated: December 11, 2012 10:43 AM IST
Many cricket experts in India believe MS Dhoni is a very lucky man, and they are not only referring to his luck on the field, something that has helped him win various matches in the past. They are talking about his good fortunes with respect to team selection. Where else will a captain survive the axe depite losing 10 of the last 16 Tests he's played? However, post the Kolkata loss the voices against one of India's most successful skipper are growing.
His defence with the bat may have become weak, but when it came to questions about his captaincy Dhoni stood his ground and said: "Won't quit captaincy. Won't run away from responsibility".
And why not? Why should he volunteer to quit captaincy? Isn't that a call for the selectors to take? But unfortunately, according to some, that's where the problem lies.
"Selectors don't have the gall to drop Dhoni. Look at the past year, does he even deserve a place in the playing XI, let alone be the captain of the side," former selector Mohinder Amarnath said.
Up until now he was referred to as the man with the Midas touch, even his mistakes ended up being master-strokes. But with a poor patch that's lasted for over a year, his smart tactics now look like errors to most.
"I'm surprised that Dhoni said this that 'I want a turning track even if the match gets over in two days'. I haven't ever heard any other captain say that," Dilip Vengsarkar, Former India captain, said.
'If not Dhoni, then who, there is no other option' - this has been the usual response from those that can't envision a team without the man they call Captain Cool. And while this argument does hold water, there are also those that believe that a youngster will only learn how to swim if he's thrown into the deep.
Sourav Ganguly, for example, believes in split captaincy. He is suggesting that Dhoni remain the ODI and T20 captain and a youngster be allowed to take over the reins of the Test team.
Former India opener WV Raman has a much more radical suggestion. According to him, Sachin Tendulkar should be made the Test captain, albeit temporarily, till such time a youngster is ready to take charge.
Based on facts and figures, MS Dhoni still remains one of India's most successful captains ever, but if he can be credited for winning 2 World Cups for the country, it's only natural that he bears the brunt for taking Team India through one of its worse phases in international cricket.