Mahendrasingh Dhoni’s string of successes as the captain of India’s ODI and T-20 team has won him many admirers. He was awarded this year’s Khel Ratna Award. Team’s South African Coach Gary Kirsten is the latest addition. Recently Kirsten has remarked that Mahendra Singh Dhoni is ready for Test captaincy as well.
Dhoni’s influential role in guiding the team to series win over Sri Lanka is in sharp contrast to the Test team’s dismal performance under Anil Kumble whose lack of form with the ball coincided with remarkable run of failures from fab four (Sachin, Dravid, Ganguly and Laxman). Anil Kumble did lead the side, both on and off the field, in Australia with dignity, but the result was a series loss. The limelight was stolen by Dhoni, as he became the first captain to win Tri Series down Under.
Kumble’s appointment was always going to be a stop gap arrangement in the situation arising out of Dravid’s resignation and Sachin’s reluctance to take over. His leadership is quite similar to his personality. Though he is one of the greatest cricketers, he certainly lacks the exuberance, flamboyance needed for a leader.
So Kirsten and many others have a reason to feel that Dhoni be given Test Captaincy. But we can’t forget that Dhoni’s success in T-20 world Cup, Tri series in Australia and recent series victory in Sri Lanka, all have been achieved by team that didn’t feature any of the fab four, and they, as of now, are permanent feature of Test team. So if Dhoni is made the captain of the team containing these underperforming superstars, who sadly are past their prime, will he be able to lead the side to victory against Ricky Ponting who is still smarting from the reversals earlier this year?
India’s recent ODI and T-20 feats have been achieved by a young middle order batting line-up comprising of Raina, Rohit Sharma, Yuvraj, Uthappa, and Badrinath. All of them respond to the captain’s call who himself leads by example. None of these would feature in Test team. Sachin, Dravid and co now a days seem to back away from the challenges, as was evident in Sri Lanka when they failed to master Mendis Magic. So Dhoni in charge of the team containing at least five veterans with tired legs is certainly not a combination to challenge Aussies who are out to seek revenge. So, bring in Dhoni and phase out the past masters. The question is: Will the selectors muster enough courage to do so?
Dhoni’s influential role in guiding the team to series win over Sri Lanka is in sharp contrast to the Test team’s dismal performance under Anil Kumble whose lack of form with the ball coincided with remarkable run of failures from fab four (Sachin, Dravid, Ganguly and Laxman). Anil Kumble did lead the side, both on and off the field, in Australia with dignity, but the result was a series loss. The limelight was stolen by Dhoni, as he became the first captain to win Tri Series down Under.
Kumble’s appointment was always going to be a stop gap arrangement in the situation arising out of Dravid’s resignation and Sachin’s reluctance to take over. His leadership is quite similar to his personality. Though he is one of the greatest cricketers, he certainly lacks the exuberance, flamboyance needed for a leader.
So Kirsten and many others have a reason to feel that Dhoni be given Test Captaincy. But we can’t forget that Dhoni’s success in T-20 world Cup, Tri series in Australia and recent series victory in Sri Lanka, all have been achieved by team that didn’t feature any of the fab four, and they, as of now, are permanent feature of Test team. So if Dhoni is made the captain of the team containing these underperforming superstars, who sadly are past their prime, will he be able to lead the side to victory against Ricky Ponting who is still smarting from the reversals earlier this year?
India’s recent ODI and T-20 feats have been achieved by a young middle order batting line-up comprising of Raina, Rohit Sharma, Yuvraj, Uthappa, and Badrinath. All of them respond to the captain’s call who himself leads by example. None of these would feature in Test team. Sachin, Dravid and co now a days seem to back away from the challenges, as was evident in Sri Lanka when they failed to master Mendis Magic. So Dhoni in charge of the team containing at least five veterans with tired legs is certainly not a combination to challenge Aussies who are out to seek revenge. So, bring in Dhoni and phase out the past masters. The question is: Will the selectors muster enough courage to do so?
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