"No other cricketer has served the country like MS Dhoni", says Kapil Dev 

Kapil also wished Virat Kohli and his team well for the upcoming World Cup.

MS Dhoni | Getty

Former India skipper and legend Kapil Dev hailed MS Dhoni as one of nation's greatest cricketers ever and said that he remains among the biggest contributors of our sport. 

While many other ex-players have previously made critical remarks on Dhoni ever since the much-talked-about decline in his power-hitting abilities, Kapil acknowledged how the great wicketkeeper batsman continues to be a vital cog of Team India's wheels at the highest level. 

"I don't have to say anything about Dhoni. I think he has served the country very well and we must respect him," he told IANS. "No one knows how long he wants to play and how long his body can continue to take the workload."

"But, there is no other cricketer who has served the country so well as Dhoni. We should respect him and wish him good luck. I hope that he wins this World Cup too."

Talking about the forthcoming World Cup in England and Wales, Kapil - the first Indian captain to reach the pinnacle of ODI cricket and lift that prestigious title in 1983 - understands how difficult it will be for Virat Kohli's men to replicate that feat this time, but he also lavished praise over the team and wished that it achieves the glory. 

"This Indian team looks very good. However, it won't be very easy. They have to play like a team. I hope that they will have no injuries. If they have a stroke of luck, they will definitely win," he said. 

Kapil was then asked to give his opinion over the widely scrutinised inclusion of Dinesh Karthik, ahead of young Rishabh Pant, as India's second wicketkeeper behind Dhoni for the showpiece ODI event. And he stressed, "The selectors have done their job. Let's respect the team. They have picked Karthik over Pant, then it's alright. We should just believe that the selectors have done a good job."

The World Cup begins on May 30 with hosts England taking on South Africa in the opening match at The Oval, whereas India kickstarts its campaign six days later in the tournament against Proteas at Southampton. 

 
 

By Kashish Chadha - 23 Apr, 2019

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