The Indian national cricket team’s chief selector, MSK Prasad has claimed that MS Dhoni is still India’s best wicketkeeper and finisher in the limited-overs cricket. Prasad also defended Dhoni’s performance in the recently concluded 2019 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup.
The former World Cup-winning Indian captain and present limited-overs wicketkeeper-batsman MS Dhoni performed well in the 2019 CWC. Apart from his wicketkeeping, Dhoni also played an essential role as a middle-order batsman.
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In that tournament, the 38-year-old scored 273 runs in eight innings with an average of 45.50 and strike-rate of 87.78. The right-handed batsman hit two half-centuries in that tournament. Meanwhile, as a wicketkeeper, he made a total of ten dismissals (seven catches and three stumpings) in that tournament.
In the 2019 CWC semi-final against New Zealand, when India were struggling on 92/6 in the chase of 240 runs, Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja batted in the extraordinary ways. While Jadeja scored 77 runs off just 59 balls, Dhoni scored 50 off 72 balls. Their batting helped India to reach closer to the target but they just failed to win that match. The Indian national cricket team was finally all out on 221 runs (49.3 overs)
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Many have praised Dhoni’s effort in that tournament. However, some have also criticised for his slow batting effort as they believe that Dhoni should score faster.
MS Dhoni was a big strength to this team in the World Cup – MSK Prasad
MSK Prasad has clarified that MS Dhoni is still irreplaceable. The chief selector has also claimed that Dhoni was the big strength to the Indian team during the 2019 CWC.
Prasad told PTI, “I can clearly say this that till today MS [Dhoni] is the best gloveman and finisher in India in the shorter formats. The others are still work in progress. MS was a big strength to this team in the World Cup both as a batsman and keeper, apart from sharing his vast experience with the team and captain while taking on-field decisions.”
The two-time Cricket World Cup winners India finished their 2019 CWC journey in the semi-final.
MSK Prasad also spoke about the young wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant
After the 2019 CWC, MS Dhoni has taken a two-month leave from cricket to serve his Paramilitary regiment of the Indian Army. So, he will miss India’s entire tour of the West Indies and the USA. In this tour, India will play a three-match T20I series, three-match ODI series and two-match Test series against Windies. This series will run from 3rd August to 3rd September 2019.
Since the conclusion of the 2019 CWC, the Indian selectors and team management have a plan to groom the young wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant as much as possible.
Once again, Prasad claimed, “I have very clearly told post the selection of the Indian team against West Indies, that we have a plan post World Cup to give as many opportunities as possible to Rishabh and groom him so that he can grow in confidence and perform as per the requirements of the team.”
The selectors have selected Rishabh Pant in all the three formats of the latest tour. For the Test series, the selectors have also added the senior wicketkeeper-batsman Wriddhiman Saha.