Sachin Tendulkar believes Mahendra Singh Dhoni can from now onwards bat around the more vibrant strokeplayers and be someone who would "control the game till the end" in India's Virat Kohli led limited overs unit.

The great wicketkeeper-batsman played an assuring knock of 55* off 54 and batted resolutely alongside Virat Kohli & Dinesh Karthik to help the visitors clinch a series-levelling victory at the Adelaide Oval. 

"Yesterday’s (Tuesday) contribution was good. In the first match, I felt he was a little rusty, he was not being able to hit the ball where he wanted to and that can happen to anyone. He walked out in the second match thinking differently and from ball one, he looked a different player," Tendulkar was quoted saying on his official app 100MB. 

It was a classic MS Dhoni run-chase. His mind kept analysing situations as well as foresight the challenges. He batted around people with a better strike-rate than his but stayed right till the end to see India home, as the legendary batsman further said, "He (Dhoni) is someone who loves to play a few dot balls, understand the wicket, how the bowlers are bowling and likes to take the game till the end. That is exactly what he did. He is someone who is going to control the game from one end.” 

The 45-year-old reiterated that Dinesh Karthik is then an ideal candidate to play the role of a power-hitter down the order and can also be a finisher when required by the team.

"And yesterday along with Dhoni, I felt that Dinesh Karthik played rather well as he came and finished the game. It was a fantastic contribution from Dinesh also. Dhoni stayed till the end and his experience mattered," he added. 

With both Dhoni and Dinesh doing well things look rather difficult for Rishabh Pant, who is an explosive wicketkeeper-batsman too but seems to be third in the pecking order for now.   

Although, Tendulkar reaffirmed that competition for slots is only good for Indian Cricket and said, "It’s a nice thought (to have Pant in) but we have already got Dhoni and Karthik playing as a batter, we have two wicket-keepers, who have contributed in our success yesterday. They have had a crucial partnership which won us the match."

"So if you are looking to have Pant in the team that means you have to remove a proper batter or one bowler, and I don’t think we can afford to remove a bowler. So if he replaces a proper batter who doesn’t bowl, then its okay but if he is going to replace an all-rounder then that’s going to cost us," he concluded. 

(Inputs from PTI)