The Untold Story of Dhoni's Return: A captain in need of guidance, and another waiting in the wings

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Tuesday, 14th September 2021

A couple of commentators were among the Englishmen blown away by Virat Kohli on the final day of the Oval Test. Nasser Hussain declared that Indian captain Virat Kohli had passed his big captaincy test "with flying colours." Another former captain and social media influencer, Michael Vaughan, called Kohli a "amazing character" who gave a "tactical masterclass on how to win a Test match."

Exactly 48 hours later, the BCCI would name M S Dhoni as the mentor for next month's WorldT20, a subtle nudge to the captain with a poor record at ICC events. This would be the Indian board's first official acknowledgment that the country's greatest batsman was not necessarily the best leader.

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There have been lateral entries to the Indian team set-up in the past as well — Rahul Dravid was batting consultant on the 2014 England tour — but the inclusion of a Dhoni-like mentor, an active IPL player, was a first. Aside from the obvious conflict of interest red flag, the timing of the appointment was intriguing.

The focus on Kohli, the captain, comes at a time when the Indian team is in flux. The contract of head coach Ravi Shastri and his support staff expires after the World T20, and it is unlikely that it will be renewed. Furthermore, unlike in the past, India now has an alternate captain with respectable credentials.

Rohit Sharma's success as a Test opener on this England tour enhanced his image as an all-format, all-conditions player. His elevated status was highlighted by his prominent role in the board's negotiations over the cancellation of the Manchester Test. Furthermore, Mumbai Indians' overwhelming victory over Royal Challengers Bangalore is a triviality that may tempt the BCCI to look beyond Kohli.

So, will Rohit take over for Virat if India fails to win the World T20? This is a multiple-choice question with Yes, No, and Maybe options, as is typical of the ever-changing BCCI dynamics.

Before we answer the question, let's take a look at Dhoni's role. According to the Indian cricket circuit, the former crisis manager of Indian cricket is a "officer on a very specific duty." The country's most decorated white-ball captain ever is to hand-hold Kohli and help him win his first ICC Cup. He is too unconventional to be a batting coach and far too important to be drafted as a mere wicket-keeping coach. For all intents and purposes, Dhoni is a captaincy coach. His impressive resume makes him the best candidate for the job.

India's most recent major white-ball victory came in 2013, when Dhoni won the Champions Trophy. Captain Cool has completed his cricketing Grand Slam after winning the 2011 World Cup and the 2007 WorldT20.

“No one can better guide this Indian team than Dhoni. He has a lot of experience, and the players have a lot of faith in him. According to a BCCI insider, “Jay (Shah) felt that Dhoni was the only person who could help the team during the T20 World Cup, so he dialled him.” The "only person" line is a veiled criticism of the captain, who has yet to win an IPL title.

This chorus has grown in size. For some time now, discussions about Kohli's captaincy have extended beyond the confines of the office water cooler. Even the host broadcaster, in between their regular King Kohli shows, takes time to ponder perplexing team selection and contentious tactics. Sir Vivian Richards may see Kohli as his heir apparent, but no one seems to see shades of Mike Brearley in the world's poster-boy.

All successful sporting teams have a core group of regulars, but not this one. Almost every player who has played under Kohli has been dropped from the starting XI at least once. No senior has been certain of his place in the team, and there has rarely been a captaincy contender.

The News Talkie Bureau

Source

Indianexpress