5 reasons why India should persist with MS Dhoni in T20Is

As India managed to clinch a thrilling series victory against New Zealand in the recently concluded T20I series, critics began pointing their fingers at MS Dhoni after his lacklustre performances in the three matches.

They have begun to question his place on the side and expect the team management to shake things up for the next T20I series.

However, the 36-year-old still has a lot to offer to the side and can most definitely continue playing for a few more years.

In this article, we take a look at 5 reasons why Dhoni should not be dropped from the T20I side.

Best wicket-keeper in the world

Despite not performing well with the bat, Dhoni makes up for it on the field with his wicket-keeping skills. Arguably the best wicket-keeper in the world currently, Dhoni's ability behind the wicket is insurmountable.

He has the quickest hands in the game and there is probably no batsman in the world who could survive a stumping with Dhoni behind the stumps

The Men in Blue have not been able to find a wicket-keeping replacement for the former Indian captain yet. There are a few youngsters such as Rishabh Pant and Ishan Kishan who are rising up the ranks, but it will take some time for them to make a mark for themselves on the international stage.

Fitness

At the age of 36, Dhoni continues to be one of the fittest cricketers in the Indian cricket team. The former Indian captain is fit as a fiddle and can give several youngsters in the team a run for their money on the field.

Agile and still freakishly quick, he was ranked amongst the top 5 in the yo-yo test - a fitness test held at the NCA in Bangalore earlier this year.

On the other hand, veterans such as Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina have failed the yo-yo test on multiple occasions and thus, are not in the reckoning anymore.

In fact, Dhoni's fitness seems to be improving with age and it will come as no surprise if he continues to remain this fit until the 2019 World Cup.

Ability to handle pressure

The shortest format of the game demands cricketers to handle high-pressure situations on a number of occasions during the match.

Dhoni, who is known for keeping a cool head all the time is undoubtedly the best in the team when it comes to handling pressure. More often than not, Dhoni is seen talking to everyone around him, including Virat Kohli in an effort to calm them down.

It is this ability of his to stay calm which has won India many matches in the past.

Running between the wickets

Being one of the fittest cricketers in the playing XI, it comes as no surprise that Dhoni is one of the quickest runners between the wickets as well.

Sharp and agile, Dhoni has the ability to convert the one's into two's and two's into three's. It is a joy to watch him run between the wickets along with someone like Kohli or Manish Pandey.

Recently, Kohli heaped praise on Dhoni's instinct and his running between the wickets.

"While running between the wickets, if he says two, I just close my eyes and run because I know that his judgement is so correct, I will make it,” he said on the hit show - Breakfast with Champions.

Tactical genius

Despite stepping down as the captain of the limited-overs side at the beginning of the year, it does not feel like Dhoni is not the captain anymore.

He is seen setting the field on a number of occasions during India's matches and he continues to give his inputs to teammates in order to help them achieve success.

In fact, during the end overs of a match, he is the one who takes over the role of a captain when Kohli goes to field in the deep.

“I don’t think I have ever come across a better cricketing brain just in terms of planning, knowing what’s happening in the game and what can be done. Obviously, I go by my instincts but whenever I ask him anything 8 or 9 out of 10 times what he says, works," said Kohli about Dhoni's tactics.