ICC World Cup | MS Dhoni's contribution will be crucial if the top three fails, reckons Sunil Gavaskar
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Sunil Gavaskar believes that MS Dhoni's batting will be very important for the Indian team going into the World Cup. Gavaskar has also added the top three batsmen of the Indian team are fabulous, but in their failure, it will be Dhoni's contribution that will help the side post a decent total.
MS Dhoni, who is currently leading Chennai Super Kings in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL), has been in an amazing form with the bat. In the last match against the Delhi Capitals (DC), Dhoni played a quickfire innings of 44 runs which came in just 22 deliveries. Apart from leading the side brilliantly and scoring runs when the team is in trouble, the former India captain has shown amazing glove work as well.Â
Gavaskar, while terming the top three of the side fabulous, added that there can be days where the top three of the side do not perform the way they should and that's where MS Dhoni's role becomes a massive one.
"I think it will be very important because we have a fabulous top-three. But in case the top-three don't make their usual contribution, then Dhoni's contribution down the order, whether it's at number four or five, will make a big difference in India posting a defendable total," Gavaskar wrote in his column for Times of India.
Gavaskar, the 69-year-old Mumbai-born cricketer, talking about MS Dhoni's presence in the team said that Dhoni with all his experience can guide the dynamic India captain Virat Kohli. Dhoni has been often seen guiding the spinners, telling them the line and length to bowl or adjusting the field when Kohli is fielding at long on or long off.
Commenting on Dhoni's ability to understand the game from behind the wicket, Gavaskar said, "We have seen the wicket-keeping skills that he has. But more importantly, as somebody who stands close to the wicket, guiding the spinners where to bowl, guiding the other bowlers also where to ball and making those little field adjustments."
"Kohli, whose brilliant fielding makes it imperative for him to stand in the deep, at long-off/long-on may be, is unable to see those little changes of the backward point fielder moving a little bit to his right or little bit to his left, similarly square-leg fielder moving," Gavaskar noted.
