ICC Cricket World Cup 2019: MS Dhoni's presence in Indian squad incomparable?

Former Indian captain MS Dhoni has been criticised by cricket lovers all over the world for his performance in the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup in England. But his own teammates stated that the role of the 37-year-old batsman in the team is incomparable.

As quoted by the IANS, a member of the Men in Blue squad stated that everyone has to keep in mind that the Indian team are not like England who can bat till number 10 as a result of which Dhoni has to keep that in mind when he walks out to bat.

He said, "Let's be honest. We are not England when it comes to batting. We have a tail and when Mahi bhai walks in, more often than not, he needs to keep that in mind. He doesn't have the freedom say a Ben Stokes has because England bat till almost number 10, we don't. We lost two wickets in the final over against Bangladesh the moment he got out."

He also mentioned that in the match against Bangladesh, Dhoni had constantly guided Rishabh Pant and his experience adds a lot to the team.

"As for his experience on the field, he is the man who has the answer to every question we have. If Plan A doesn't work, he gives you B, C and D. In fact, even during the game against Bangladesh on Tuesday, did you notice him constantly guiding Rishabh Pant and telling him about the areas he should target? You cannot buy that experience in the market," the player added.

Another member of the Indian squad also had the same thoughts about Dhoni and he added that because of the World Cup winning captain, the present Indian team skipper Virat Kohli has the liberty to field in the outfield and cut boundaries as the ageing legend assists the bowlers according to the requirements of the pitch, conditions and batsmen after every couple of overs.

Dhoni has been heavily criticised for his batting performance in World Cup 2019 and many have suggested he should retire or the team management should drop him from the team. But the experience that the legend has matters a lot for the success of the team. 

India have qualified for the semi-finals in the World Cup after defeating Bangladesh on July 2 at the Edgbaston cricket ground with brilliant performances from Rohit Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah. The Men in Blue will next face Sri Lanka in a dead rubber fixture on July 6 at the Yorkshire cricket ground.