MS Dhoni
MS Dhoni

Ravi Shastri has termed MS Dhoni the greatest white-ball captain ever. According to the current head coach Ravi Shastri, MS Dhoni has achieved almost everything a skipper can achieve in the limited-overs format.

MS Dhoni and Ravi Shastri will work together after a while during India’s campaign at the upcoming 2021 T20 World Cup. While MS Dhoni has been named mentor of the team for the ICC event, the T20 World Cup is likely to be Ravi Shastri’s final assignment as Team India coach.

Ravi Shastri Image Source : AP
Ravi Shastri Image Source: AP

Ravi Shastri: MS Dhoni Is The Greatest White Ball Skipper Ever

Hailing MS Dhoni, Ravi Shastri said the legendary cricketer’s record as a leader in white-ball cricket speaks for itself as he is the only skipper to win all 3 ICC trophies including T20 and ODI World Cups.

The 59-year-old told Fan Code in an interview: “Dhoni is the greatest white-ball captain ever. Just look at his record in ICC tournaments. What has he not won? IPL, Champions League, all ICC tournaments, two World Cups. There is no one close to him when it comes to white-ball cricket. He has to be the greatest. The King Kong, you can call him in that fashion.”

MS Dhoni (BCCI/IPL)
MS Dhoni (BCCI/IPL)

According to Ravi Shastri, MS Dhoni’s calmness and control as a leader separates him from the rest.

The former India all-rounder concluded: “When you see Dhoni captaining a side, and you see Chennai Super Kings (CSK), there’s that assurance and calmness of things in control. The other side might me whacking sixes or fours but you still get the feeling there is this composure and control,”

While MS Dhoni announced his retirement from international cricket last year, he has continued to lead the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the IPL. MS Dhoni scored exactly 200 runs in IPL 2020, averaging a below-par 25 while managing only 66 runs in IPL 2021 in 10 games averaging a dismal 13.2. His strike rate is also below 120 both times.

Ravi Shastri: MS Dhoni Led CSK’s Endeavor Would Be To Win Next Inconsequential Game Against Rajasthan

Following their win over Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), CSK became the first team to qualify for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 playoffs. Speaking about CSK’s plans for the game against Rajasthan Royals (RR) on Saturday, Ravi Shastri stated that MS Dhoni will be keen on Chennai Super Kings not losing momentum, even if they make some changes.

Chennai Super Kings (Image Credit: Twitter)
Chennai Super Kings (Image Credit: Twitter)

The Team India coach concluded: “The ball is in CSK’s court, how they want to play. They have qualified, they are going to finish 1 or 2, there is no question about that. It’s how Dhoni sees it. Does he want to rest players or does he want to try one or two players for the game? The endeavor would be to win. They would start as favorites, but no one likes to lose momentum.”

CSK is currently sitting pretty on top of the IPL 2021 points table, having secured 18 points from 11 games. The three-time IPL champions, who had a season to forget in 2020 as they failed to qualify for playoffs for the first time, have 18 points on the back of nine wins from 11 matches and are the first team to secure a spot in the playoffs.
With eight points from 11 games, RR are placed second from the bottom in the eight-team table and a loss on Saturday will end their slim chances of qualifying for the knockout stage. With just one win since in the UAE-leg of the tournament, Rajasthan Royals find themselves in a do-or-die situation as they face off ruthless Chennai Super Kings at Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi in the second fixture of Saturday’s doubleheader. CSK has already advanced into playoffs and will be looking to keep the momentum going forward.