'MS Dhoni Has To Score From Ball One': Virender Sehwag's Advice To Under Fire Batsman
MS Dhoni had a strike rate of 132 at the end of his innings in the second Twenty20 against New Zealand at Rajkot, but the inability to rotate strike has prompted some to raise questions.
Highlights
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Team management must brief Dhoni about his role in T20: Sehwag
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Laxman, Agarkar were critical of Dhoni's performance in the second T20I
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Dhoni scored 49 off 37 balls against New Zealand in the second T20I
Former India opener Virender Sehwag on Monday said that Mahendra Singh Dhoni needs to realise his role in the team and advised him to start scoring from ball one while chasing big totals. The 36-year-old Dhoni had a strike rate of 132 at the end of his innings in the second Twenty20 against New Zealand at Rajkot, but the inability to rotate strike has prompted some to raise questions. During his stay in the middle, Dhoni scored 26 runs in boundaries from five deliveries (3x6, 2x4) but managed only 23 from the remaining 32 deliveries.
Following Dhoni's 37-ball 49, Laxman, in a post-match television show, had strongly suggested that Dhoni should give chance to youngsters in the T20 format as they would get an opportunity to blossom and get confidence by playing international cricket.
"Dhoni should realise his role in the team. He has to change the momentum early while chasing a strong total. He has to score from ball one and the team management should make him understand this point," Sehwag told India TV.
Sehwag, who has played 104 Tests and 251 One-day Internationals, though felt the Virat Kohli-led side needed Dhoni at the moment.
"Team India needs MS Dhoni at the moment, even in T20 cricket. He will step down at the right time. He will never block the way for any young cricketer," the big-hitting opener said.
Sehwag had earlier said that the Indian team was "yet to find a suitable replacement" for Dhoni.
Not only Laxman, former India cricketers Ajit Agarkar and Aakash Chopra too were critical of Dhoni's average performance in Rajkot and said that the Indian team management needs to look beyond him in T20Is. However, cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar, in an exclusive interview with NDTV, batted for the under-pressure batsman and said that when someone crosses 30 years of age, everybody is looking to find a fault in his game.
India play the series-decider on Tuesday and certainly Dhoni's batting position will be under spotlight as the home team aims to go for the kill at Thiruvananthapuram.
(With PTI inputs)