3 Reasons why India should finally look past MS Dhoni

India’s Asia Cup campaign ended in joy when they eked out a nail-biting last-ball victory over Bangladesh. Like many of their previous ODI assignments, the top order was again instrumental in their success throughout with Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma scoring the majority of runs.

Another pleasing aspect of Team India's display was the control displayed by the bowling attack. Despite these positives, there were a few questions that were still left unanswered.

The Indian team afforded the likes of Rayudu, Karthik and Dhoni an uninhibited run in the middle order. However, neither showed the potential to be able to solve the middle order muddle. Though the form of Rayudu and Karthik would have worried the think-tank, the failure of Dhoni over the course of the tournament would’ve raised a lot more eyebrows.

Dhoni’s abilities have been on the wane over the past few years, but with the others around him performing, the team was willing to look the other way. With the World Cup only months away and Dhoni still struggling, the team management find themselves in an unenviable situation, having to make a tough choice.

MS is still the best in the business when it comes to glove-work. However, it is his impactful batting that India craves more than his keeping. With his belligerence seeming a distant memory with each passing game, the time may have come for him to finally hang up his gloves.

Through the course of this article, we would look at three reasons why India should take the call now and invest in another keeper before the World Cup gets too close.

#3. Dhoni finds it tough rotating strike in the middle overs

Dhoni has found it hard to rotate strike against spin

Over the years, MS has evolved from a belligerent dasher to someone more akin to a poker player, a player who keeps his cards close to his chest and pounces at the slightest bit of opportunity. However, with age, his ability to close out his poker games has come under the scanner.

At the Asia Cup, Dhoni’s highest score was 36, which came in the final. Even during his innings of 36, he struggled to rotate strike against the left-arm spin of Nazmul Islam. Similarly, against Afghanistan, he got stuck at the wicket before eventually perishing.

The worrying thing, though, is the fact that Dhoni hasn’t corrected his weakness against spin over the years. The Dhoni of yesteryear had the ability to make up for his slow starts in the death overs. However, with his ability to clear the ground on the wane, India gets caught in the middle of nowhere on many an occasion.

Moreover, teams have started targeting MS as soon as he comes to bat which leads to increased pressure on the other batsmen. Though there aren’t many who can handle the pressure of the big stage like MS, his failure to make up for his slow starts, outweighs the other benefits.

Though Dhoni has provided Indian fans with countless memories, the time could just be right for him to step aside and let someone else take over the keeping mantle.

#2. Dhoni’s declining hitting prowess

Dhoni's hitting prowess is on the wane

The 2018 IPL provided a timely reminder of what Dhoni can do when he gets going. Thus, the tour to England was looked upon as the series where Dhoni- The Hitter would finally wind back the clock in international cricket. However, after a couple of poor series, it is back to square one for the former skipper.

Dhoni’s inability to hit sixes at the end first came to the fore in a failed chase against South Africa at Kanpur. On that day, Rabada kept him quiet with a series of deliveries that were out of his hitting zone. Teams quickly started picking up on it and they had finally found a formula to out-think and out-do ‘the king of the Death overs’.

Though many different strategies have been tried before, Dhoni has always found a counter to it. But with age being his newest nemesis, he hasn’t been able to come up with something substantial. The result has been obvious for everyone to see: Dhoni isn’t as productive at the death these days.

Dhoni’s USP has always been his ability to hit sixes out of nowhere. It was this ability that masked his technical deficiencies for the best part of a decade. However, with him finding it difficult to replicate his USP on a regular basis, his slow starts have been exposed more than ever.

Though the sight of Dhoni carting the ball to all parts is still a sight to behold, that sight has been too far and few in between for India and for his own liking. If MS is unable to come up with the big shots, a majority of his X-Factor is neutralised.

With the World Cup creeping up, India might want to consider replacing MS if he is unable to wind back the clock and come up with the hitting which made the whole of India fall in love with him.

#1. The emergence of Rishabh Pant

Pant has announced himself on the big stage

Over the years, India haven’t found a player who can hold a candle to Dhoni’s abilities with the gloves or with the bat. More recently, however, a young, bustling lad from Delhi has caught the imagination, just like Dhoni did 15 years back.

The left-hander burst onto the scene for his unparalleled hitting prowess. He was in blazing form in the IPL this year with him smashing the best of the bowlers all around the park. His performances were rewarded with a maiden Test call-up. After a couple of nervy Tests, he was finally back into his element and smashed a breath-taking hundred at The Oval.

Pant boasts of all the shots in the book and displays a fearless attitude, something which made Dhoni famous at the start of his career. Additionally, the youngster is in good form and could be a solution to India’s middle order conundrum.

Even though he is not as good a keeper as MS, he has shown signs of promise with the gloves. If cultivated properly, he could be a safe option behind the stumps.

Though the heart still wants MS to have one final crack at the World Cup, the head says that the time could be right for him to pass the baton. Unlike yesteryears, the Indian team has a ready-made replacement waiting in the wings.