MS Dhoni demands to be reinstated as limited-overs skipper
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Clearly irritated by Virat Kohli's antics during the recent Test series against Australia, MS Dhoni has demanded he be reinstated as limited-overs skipper. MSD said Kohli’s poor behaviour reflects badly on Indian cricket and does not augur well for the future of the game in the country.
“What the hell was he doing? Doesn’t Virat know that cricket is a gentleman’s game? This was not expected from someone who has made his debut under my leadership,” MS Dhoni told a news conference in Ranchi. “It is high time he should step down from the position, and yes, I am ready to take the position again,” he added.
In January, Dhoni announced his decision to step down as limited-overs skipper, paving the way for Kohli to become the captain in all three formats. Dhoni had retired from Test cricket as captain in December 2014.Â
The just-concluded India-Australia Test series was marred by controversies and rival captains Kohli and Steve Smith were in the centre of it. Kohli stopped just short of calling Smith a cheat after the DRS incident in the second Test in Bengaluru that Smith described as a "brain fade" on his part.
“He has forgotten or lost the basic humaneness actually. I was surprised when I read the report of The Daily Telegraph which described him as the Donald Trump of cricket. I was angry at Ben Horne for making such an immature comment. But little did I know that Virat has gone to such level when I was playing the Vijay Hazare Trophy,” Dhoni said.
India’s Test matches at most venues were played to nearly empty stadiums, and Dhoni said it was because of Kohli’s lack of sportsman spirit.Â
“See, if you had come to Kolkata and Delhi, where Jharkhand played their Vijay Hazare Trophy matches, there were more spectators there to watch me than to watch these Test matches. That says it all. It was because of Virat's poor behaviour. And you know, knowing that Star Sports didn’t even telecast a single Jharkhand match on TV and chose to telecast the Bengal-Maharashtra match.”
Dhoni is clearly hurt by Kohli's behaviour, and one felt the honesty and his high regard for Indian cricket. We feel the SC-appointed Committee of Administrators should take MSD seriously on this matter. If he is good enough to walk into the limited-overs side as a player, why not reinstate him as skipper? If he wants to do a Shahid Afridi, so be it.
By the way, today's April 1.
