The Great Mahendra Singh Dhoni Debate -- He's Extra-Ordinary, Says Gavaskar; He's Not Superhuman: Prasanna
Has Mahendra Singh Dhoni lost his Midas touch? Two former legends of Indian cricket – Sunil Gavaskar and Erapalli Prasanna – debate in an exclusive chat on NDTV
Former India opener Sunil Gavaskar threw his weight behind a struggling Mahendra Singh Dhoni by saying that Indian skipper has been "extraordinary" over the years and he will only get better in the time to come. However, another legend Erapalli Prasanna has a contrasting view. ('The Finisher' Finished? India Debate Mahendra Singh Dhoni)
Prasanna feels Dhoni's poor form is the "starting of an end" to a brilliant career. "He is around 33 and his footwork may not be as good as it used to be. He may be missing out the timing of his shots. This is how players fade out," Prasanna said in an exclusive debate on NDTV.
"Dhoni has been extra-ordinary player for India and he will only get better in next three to five years," said Gavaskar. The original Little Master added that Dhoni was being "made a scapegoat" for India's failings in the twenty20 and ODI series against South Africa.
Critics have been gunning for Dhoni's head since India's 2-0 Twenty20 series loss and first ODI defeat against South Africa in Kanpur, but Gavaskar said Dhoni is not the only one who has failed to deliver the goods.
"Everybody is looking to make MSD a scapegoat for India's loss. Why is everyone overlooking the fact that Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina didn't score runs in the game? So why is Dhoni, who has done so well over the years, is being held responsible for India's loss?" Gavaskar asked.
Gavaskar feels Dhoni still has plenty of cricket left in him and the decision to quit Test match was a "blessing in disguise." Gavaskar said Dhoni could play for another five years at the top.
Prasanna was more cautious in his estimation of Dhoni's exit from international cricket. "He is a disciplined man and could extend his career by another three years," said Prasanna, who strongly felt Dhoni's reflexes were a big concern.
Gavaskar clearly indicated that cricket was a team game and Dhoni's failures in a couple of games should not be magnified. The younger lot of players - Kohli, Dhawan and Raina -- surely needed to do justice to their reputation as well.