5 Reasons why India isn't ready to play without MS Dhoni just yet

Despite India making a resounding 348 in the first innings on the back of a career-best knock of 143 from Shikhar Dhawan and an authoritative 95 from Rohit Sharma, Australia managed to chase the total down thanks to some brilliant knocks by Usman Khawaja, Peter Handscomb and finally Ashton Turner, who certainly turned the match on its head. India had their chances to dismiss Turner but they went begging.

The crowd chanted "Dhoni, Dhoni, Dhoni" as Rishabh Pant missed a fairly simple stumping that could have altered the outcome of the game. Here are 5 reasons why India isn't quite ready to play without Dhoni just yet.

#1. Wicket Keeping

Dhoni is one of the best wicket-keeper's in the world, leave alone in India.

Here's stating the most obvious first. Simply put, there isn't a better keeper than Dhoni in the country right now. India sees Pant as Dhoni's successor, but we saw him miss a fairly simple stumping down the leg side that could have dismissed Ashton Turner.

There were some other lapses in concentration behind the stumps too, and this shows that Pant isn't quite ready yet to take over the gloves. In Dhoni, India have always had a safe gloveman. A bowler may produce chances, but if he isn't backed up by his keeper, then it means nothing to the side. MS Dhoni's prowess behind the stumps has been unmatched for quite a while now.

He brings in his unique and innovative style of wicket keeping that no one else has been able to match so far. His prolific record as a wicketkeeper backs this up too.

#2. Experience

Dhoni's calmness whilst dealing with pressure situations is an invaluable asset.

Another key factor Dhoni brings to the table is his invaluable experience. Currently, he's India's most capped ODI player that's still playing. His awareness and calmness in pressure situations rubs off on the entire team. His presence on the field provides a sense of safety as he knows what to do during difficult scenarios.

Many bowlers have acknowledged the fact that Dhoni provides constant advice from behind the stumps as to what to bowl and about field placements. We've all heard Dhoni on the stump mic throwing out a piece of advice to the bowler and the bowlers obliging which leads to the situation playing out exactly as Dhoni had called out.

His awareness of any situation makes him an indispensable asset for the Indian team.

#3. Dhoni the batsman

Of late, Dhoni has shown the capabilities of anchoring run-chases for India.

Yes, Dhoni isn't at his prime as a batsman. But we saw him play a couple of match-winning knocks recently and this proves that he's still got it in him. He still has the 2nd most number of sixes for India in ODIs. Post 2015, Dhoni averages somewhere around 40 and strikes at about 80.

Now those aren't incredible numbers, but his role as a batsman has changed. He plays the perfect anchoring role and allows the rest of the team to bat freely around him while he holds one end up. This not only takes pressure off the other batsmen but also helps them play their natural game.

He soaks up all the pressure and calculates the amount of risk to be taken with pinpoint precision. And as he demonstrated recently, he's still got the big shots in him should the need arise.

#4. Perfect wingman for Virat Kohli

Dhoni assists Kohli brilliantly on the field.

Although he might not be the named vice-captain, Dhoni performs almost all the functions of one. He's a constant support to Kohli on the field and his useful insights help Kohli make better decisions. Dhoni is precise with his field placements and his fine-tuning of certain positions go on to make a large difference.

During the slog overs, Dhoni controls the infield and this allows Kohli to place himself in key positions in the outfield without worrying about getting in the infield placements right. Dhoni's knowledge of the game and his amazing ability to read any situation to perfection makes him the perfect wingman for Virat Kohli.

#5. Dhoni Review System

Dhoni's decisiveness whilst using the DRS system is absolutely lethal.

Now with DRS coming into common practice in ODIs, its an important tool for the team and its crucial to make use of it correctly. Who better than MS Dhoni to call for a review? We've all seen that he gets it right almost always.

He has a great view behind the stumps and knows exactly when the umpire has got it wrong. This has saved the team many a time from the embarrassment of impulsively wasting a review. Dhoni's sense of judgment can be the deciding factor in the outcome of a game when a vital decision can be overturned thanks to DRS.