Rahul Dravid believes Virat Kohli will want MS Dhoni to perform well

What’s the Story?

Former India captain and current coach of the India A and India Under-19 sides, Rahul Dravid believes that MS Dhoni’s decision to step down from limited-overs captaincy will put him under more pressure. Speaking to ESPN Cricinfo, Dravid still believes that an in-form Dhoni is an invaluable asset to Virat Kohli, who he believed will want Dhoni to flourish as a batsman.

Dhoni’s immense experience, no player has captained more international games than him, will be a huge asset to Virat Kohli and the former Indian captain believes that Kohli will want Dhoni to do well so he can take in all of his experience and advice.

"And I guess if you're Virat Kohli, you'll actually be hoping that MS Dhoni does really well and is able to hold on to his place. Because you would like that kind of experience performing well in the team. Just that knowledge would be priceless for Virat Kohli to have,” Rahul Dravid said.

Extra Cover: Who Said What: World reacts to MS Dhoni stepping down from ODI and T20I captaincy

In case you did not know...

Like he did with his Test retirement, Dhoni stumped everyone once again as he stepped down his post as ODI and T20I captain while remaining available for selection as a player. It was something that came as a shock to many as it looked as though his desire to play the game hadn’t abated as he was mentoring Jharkhand in the Ranji Trophy semi-final.

The heart of the matter

Rahul Dravid believes that the timing of the decision is not surprising if one takes into consideration Dhoni’s long-term thinking. He believes that the decision was taken so as to allow Virat Kohli more time to captain the side before the 2019 World Cup.

He also believes that Dhoni’s ability to perform under pressure and know-how is something that the Indian team will benefit from, as long as the 35-year-old wicketkeeper remains in the side. According to him, the transition from captain to player won’t be as difficult for Dhoni as he was a player for a long time before Indian captaincy came calling.

Extra Cover: What MS Dhoni did after announcing his decision to step down from limited-overs captaincy

Dravid’s point about Dhoni’s legacy and him being remembered as the greatest Indian captain with every captaincy record in the book and as someone who took the game forward certainly holds true. But it will be interesting to see how he performs as a player in the side and not just a captain, as he has been so accustomed to doing.

What next?

With just one more ODI series, the upcoming one against England which begins on January 15, to go before the ICC Champions Trophy in England in June, it will be interesting to see how this Indian side takes shape under new captaincy. Dhoni's form after a disappointing 2016 in ODIs will also be interesting to keep an eye out for and also how he goes about his business as just a player.

Sportskeeda’s take

Now that MS Dhoni will no longer captain India, it is important for his successor and India that he does well, as Rahul Dravid has said. Not only because it bodes well for the team but also because of the sheer amount of experience that he has and help he could provide to the next captain.