Sunil Gavaskar stands with a frail MS Dhoni for World Cup 2019

MS Dhoni has been removed from India's T20 side against West Indies and Australia.

MS Dhoni and Sunil Gavaskar | GETTY

When everyone is asking for MS Dhoni's head, former Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar came in rescue and said the former Indian captain shouldn't go anywhere before World Cup 2019. Gavaskar is certain that Dhoni is must for the upcoming World Cup next year.

Dhoni, 37, is going through a terrible phase in his career. His contribution with the bat has dipped this year. He couldn't perform as he once used to. Everything is going against him and more than half of India has lost faith in him. 

The Jharkhand cricketer has played three World Cups; in which he led the team in two. Virat Kohli will be captaining India in his first World Cup. "Virat needs (Dhoni)," Gavaskar said in his analysis on Star Sports. 

"There's no doubt about it. In 50 overs where there is that much more time, that's when MSD comes into play. You know he makes those small field adjustments, talking to the bowlers in Hindi – telling them where to bowl and what to bowl. It's a huge plus for Virat."

The downfall of Dhoni resulted in his exclusion from T20I series against West Indies and Australia. Dhoni will play only one more game this year.

The dreadful performance of the senior Indian batsman hasn't stopped Gavaskar from backing him. "MSD is an absolute must for the 2019 World Cup," he added. 

Gavaskar also said that Virat will have strong think tank during World Cup on the field. "But having said that, I believe, the way Rohit Sharma has come to the party as a captain, as a thinker, as a planner. He has been brilliant.

"With Rohit coming in and also Ajinkya Rahane, Virat has a couple more shoulders to lean on. Therefore, I think this [is a] move to have MS Dhoni take a break from T20I cricket."

(With inputs from ICC)

 
 

By Sihyeu Singh - 30 Oct, 2018

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