IND vs AUS 2017: Dhoni is Still the Best Wicket-Keeper Batsman in the World – Ravi Shastri
Jan 9, 2019 at 4:00 PM
Team India head coach Ravi Shastri has hailed former India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and conceded that he is still an asset to any limited-overs team and is an elder statesman in the dressing room.
Shastri who revealed this during an exclusive interview with India Today was appointed as the coach of the national team in mid-July after former coach Anil Kumble resigned from his post following the Champions Trophy final loss to arch-rivals Pakistan.
Shastri who is known to have a good bonding with Kohli stated that Dhoni is still the best wicket-keeper batsman in the world and was still among the fittest despite reaching the twilight of his career. Dhoni hung up his boots from Test cricket in 2014 after playing his farewell series in Australia, and Shastri is of the opinion that the move has helped Dhoni to stay fit and on the top of his game in the shorter formats.
“Dhoni is still the best wicketkeeper in the world, and he is the quickest. The break from Test cricket has been great for Dhoni. He is an asset to the Indian team. He is an elder statesman in the dressing room,” Shastri told Boria Majumdar of India Today.
The former captain and arguably the greatest modern day finishers with the bat suffered a slump in form in the last year or so, but after giving up his captaincy earlier in the year, he has regained his lost touch and has scored 548 runs in 18 ODI’s at an average of 91.33.
He played a couple of match-winning innings during the ODI series in Sri Lanka. During the 2nd ODI along with tailender Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Dhoni and India staged a dramatic comeback and went on to win the game after being reduced to 131/7, chasing 236. He remained unbeaten on 45 while in the very next match Dhoni remained unbeaten on 67. He also remained unbeaten on 49 during the final ODI.