‘MS Dhoni would be the captain’- How N Srinivasan put his foot down after 2011 Test whitewashes

Former BCCI president N Srinivasan revealed he exercised his authority to prevent MS Dhoni from being replaced as captain of the Indian cricket team in 2011. This was after the team was whitewashed 4-0 in successive Test series in England and Australia.

“One of the selectors wanted to remove Dhoni as the ODI captain...he had won the World Cup [in April 2011]. The selectors had not even thought of who would be his replacement. There was a discussion and then [before the formal meeting] and I said there was no way in which he would not be a player [captain],” Srinivasan told the Indian Express.

In those days, the BCCI constitution stated that every decision had to be approved by its president. Srinivasan, thus, had the right to veto any such move by the selectors.

This was before India were scheduled to play the Commonwealth Bank Series, along with Sri Lanka. Incidentally, India lost both T20Is prior that that tri-series in February 2012 too.

MS Dhoni remained captain but the selector was sacked

MS Dhoni (R)

"Sanjay Jagdale was the [BCCI] secretary at that time and he said, 'Sir, they [selectors] are refusing to choose the captain. They will take him [Dhoni] in the team [as a player].' I came and said that MS Dhoni would be the captain. I exercised all my authority as the [BCCI] president," Srinivasan, who also happened to be the owner of the Chennai Super Kings, added.

MS Dhoni was retained as captain but India could not qualify for the finals of the tri-series.

However, there was a major shuffle on the other side as Mohinder Amarnath, who was tipped to replace Kris Srikkanth as chairman of the selection committee, was sacked for being vocal in favour of replacing Dhoni as captain. Sandeep Patil, Amarnath’s former India teammate, took over the reins.

Interestingly, India’s other World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev was replaced by Sunil Gavaskar as captain for the team’s dismal performances following the 1983 World Cup triumph.