Former India captain Sourav Ganguly believes MS Dhoni is able to perform to the best of his abilities at 36 because of the faith skipper Virat Kohli has shown in the wicketkeeper-batsman.
Ganguly adds that a senior player like Dhoni, who has played more than 300 ODIs, will eventually know how to get runs, but needs the captain's confidence to express himself without feeling pressure.
Form revival
Dhoni struggled to make a mark in 2016 as he managed only 278 runs from 13 matches at 27.80 whereas, since stepping down as captain earlier this year, the Ranchi hero has collected 627 runs from 19 matches at a staggering average of 89.57. He also ended a three-year drought for an ODI century when he smashed a 134 against England in Cuttack in January.
Over eight matches during India's successful tours to West Indies and Sri Lanka, Dhoni was dismissed only once as the former skipper came up crucial contributions to Kohli's Team India. He carried his form successfully into the much-anticipated Australia series, scoring a crucial half-century to help India win the first of the five-match series on Sunday, September 17.
"Players are made and players are broken by the faith you show in them. And I think Virat Kohli is responsible for what we are seeing of MS Dhoni today," Ganguly told India Today.
He added: "When players play for so long, MS has played over 300 ODIs for India, they know how to get runs. More than 9000 runs for Dhoni in one-day cricket and he'll get a few more by the time he finishes.
"It's the captain's confidence and Virat should get a lot of credit for it because he's put a lot of faith in Dhoni and that allowed MS to play the way he wanted."
Dhoni may not be able to hit bowlers out of the park as consistently as he used to, but the World Cup-winning captain has mastered the art of pacing his innings according to situations to make himself an inevitable member of the squad.
The arrival of Hardik Pandya, who is known for his big-hitting and finishing capabilities, has also taken considerable pressure off Dhoni.
It was evident from the way the two batsmen combined in Chennai on Sunday to decimate Steve Smith's men. While Pandya was playing the aggressor's role, Dhoni was happy to knock it around and play the second fiddle. The former skipper was also able to change gears once his partner was dismissed in the 41st over of the Indian innings.
"Brilliant [Dhoni's innings]. He paced his innings superbly, played according to the situation used all his experience," Ganguly added.
Notably, Pandya also credited Dhoni for the experience he brings to the team and said he has been learning a lot from the veteran. Apart from his batting and wicketkeeping skills, the Ranchi dasher's ability to read the game well has become an asset to Kohli, who often chooses to seek advice from his former captain over important on-field decisions.
