BENGALURU: When India's limited overs captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni marshals his forces against South Africa at the HPCA stadium in Dharamsala in early October, it will be his first outing in three months. Much has changed in Indian cricket since the 2-1 series loss against Bangladesh in June. Test captain Virat Kohli has proved to be a quick learner and an aggressive skipper who led India to a rare series victory against Sri Lanka earlier this month.
While there have been calls to hand over the T20 and ODI reins as well to the 26-year-old Kohli, team director Ravi Shastri was vocal in his support of the limited-overs captain. Shastri, a man who was known as much for his consistency as his straight talk, backed Dhoni to take over from where he left off after the World Cup with the Bangladesh series being a mere blip.
"You are talking of a seasoned campaigner, a legend. He (Dhoni) is one of the all-time greats of world cricket. So he takes over a job that he has been doing. Everything falls into place automatically. For the team, (there is) no difference. They played under him in the World Cup, they played under him in Bangladesh (in June). So what's different now? They are playing under a champion," asserted the 53-year-old, who spent time watching Dhoni bat in the nets at the National Cricket Academy here on Friday.
In the last two ODIs against Bangladesh, Dhoni moved up the order to bat at No. 4.While Shastri did not confirm the shift; there were enough indications that he wanted Dhoni to continue in the slot. "Don't you think it is about time? He has done the dirty work for donkey's years. Give him the chance to enjoy himself. You are talking of probably one of the greatest captains and players to have played the game. Check his record, what his achievements are in the shorter format of the game. I don't think anyone will come close to him. Don't worry about MS."
On changes in the batting order and players being moved out of their comfort zones in Sri Lanka, Shastri said it wasn't part of the team's strategy. "Nobody is in a comfort zone. As a batsman in the top order you should be prepared to bat anywhere the team demands. Those were unforeseen circumstances (in Sri Lanka), otherwise they wouldn't have had to do it. Shikhar (Dhawan) was injured, so was Vijay. We never had our two regular openers fully fit from the outset. If that was the case, things would have been different."
When asked whether the team would persist with the five-bowler theory, which was applied in Sri Lanka, Shastri replied in the negative. "(It was) never a permanent strategy. You have to respect the conditions. It's important to study the opposition and decide what the best combination is."
On his thoughts on the South African side which will arrive next week for a 72-day tour, Shastri said: "You have to respect the fact they are the No. 1 team in the world. They are a stiff opposition. They play well in overseas conditions. Better than any other side in world cricket. They travel better than any other team. Their record shows that. We know what we are up against, the respect is there, but we won't take any backward steps. "
Ravi to discuss pool with Dravid
India A hasn't enjoyed as much fame as it is basking in today. That's mostly courtesy Rahul Dravid who took over as chief coach of the side since June this year.
Lauding Dravid's efforts with the India `A' unit, Ravi Shastri on Friday said: "He is doing a wonderful job. The fact he is giving so much time just after finishing his cricket, for a young team, is brilliant."
On the batting maestro's influence on young players, Shastri explained, "With the amount of cricket he has played he will understand quickly who is the bloke who can bridge the gap (between A level and international cricket). It's ok to get heaps of runs in domestic cricket, but there is also talent which comes with experience. There are also guys with fewer runs but ready for the top level because of certain things they do. Those are the things you have got to consult Rahul."
Shastri said he would talk to Dravid on the talent pool. "I am going to have a chat with Rahul today (Friday) to find out because he is in the best position to know the guys who can come through the ranks."
This post is appeared on: Timesofindia
While there have been calls to hand over the T20 and ODI reins as well to the 26-year-old Kohli, team director Ravi Shastri was vocal in his support of the limited-overs captain. Shastri, a man who was known as much for his consistency as his straight talk, backed Dhoni to take over from where he left off after the World Cup with the Bangladesh series being a mere blip.
"You are talking of a seasoned campaigner, a legend. He (Dhoni) is one of the all-time greats of world cricket. So he takes over a job that he has been doing. Everything falls into place automatically. For the team, (there is) no difference. They played under him in the World Cup, they played under him in Bangladesh (in June). So what's different now? They are playing under a champion," asserted the 53-year-old, who spent time watching Dhoni bat in the nets at the National Cricket Academy here on Friday.
In the last two ODIs against Bangladesh, Dhoni moved up the order to bat at No. 4.While Shastri did not confirm the shift; there were enough indications that he wanted Dhoni to continue in the slot. "Don't you think it is about time? He has done the dirty work for donkey's years. Give him the chance to enjoy himself. You are talking of probably one of the greatest captains and players to have played the game. Check his record, what his achievements are in the shorter format of the game. I don't think anyone will come close to him. Don't worry about MS."
On changes in the batting order and players being moved out of their comfort zones in Sri Lanka, Shastri said it wasn't part of the team's strategy. "Nobody is in a comfort zone. As a batsman in the top order you should be prepared to bat anywhere the team demands. Those were unforeseen circumstances (in Sri Lanka), otherwise they wouldn't have had to do it. Shikhar (Dhawan) was injured, so was Vijay. We never had our two regular openers fully fit from the outset. If that was the case, things would have been different."
When asked whether the team would persist with the five-bowler theory, which was applied in Sri Lanka, Shastri replied in the negative. "(It was) never a permanent strategy. You have to respect the conditions. It's important to study the opposition and decide what the best combination is."
On his thoughts on the South African side which will arrive next week for a 72-day tour, Shastri said: "You have to respect the fact they are the No. 1 team in the world. They are a stiff opposition. They play well in overseas conditions. Better than any other side in world cricket. They travel better than any other team. Their record shows that. We know what we are up against, the respect is there, but we won't take any backward steps. "
Ravi to discuss pool with Dravid
India A hasn't enjoyed as much fame as it is basking in today. That's mostly courtesy Rahul Dravid who took over as chief coach of the side since June this year.
Lauding Dravid's efforts with the India `A' unit, Ravi Shastri on Friday said: "He is doing a wonderful job. The fact he is giving so much time just after finishing his cricket, for a young team, is brilliant."
On the batting maestro's influence on young players, Shastri explained, "With the amount of cricket he has played he will understand quickly who is the bloke who can bridge the gap (between A level and international cricket). It's ok to get heaps of runs in domestic cricket, but there is also talent which comes with experience. There are also guys with fewer runs but ready for the top level because of certain things they do. Those are the things you have got to consult Rahul."
Shastri said he would talk to Dravid on the talent pool. "I am going to have a chat with Rahul today (Friday) to find out because he is in the best position to know the guys who can come through the ranks."
This post is appeared on: Timesofindia
