Former Indian cricketer suspects MS Dhoni's batting form in ODIs

After India demolished the Windies in the two Test-series and then in the first ODI in Guwahati, not many had anticipated that the visitors still had it in them to make a comeback in this tour. Jason Holder’s men have given the hosts, ranked seven places above them in the International Cricket Council’s ODI rankings, a good challenge and the Men in Blue suddenly found them without a win for two consecutive games, despite captain Virat Kohli making a century every game a habit.

The five-game ODI series is now tied 1-1 (second game was tied) with the two teams set to lock horns for the fourth game in Mumbai on October 29. Another victory for the Caribbeans in the game would mean they would return undefeated from a series in India after 16 long years. Indian fans did not expect that their favourite team will all of a sudden find things getting challenging.

India’s selection of the playing XI has come under criticism after the tie and defeat in the team’s last two outings. Former India captain and former chief selector Dilip Vengsarkar was the one who lashed out at the hosts’ decision to play two wicket-keepers in the matches and he also pointed out that the batting form of veteran wicket-keeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni is suspect even though he is fit.

The 37-year-old wicket-keeper-batsman has failed to score even one fifty in 2018 so far and failed to rise to the occasion when required. He hasn’t managed to score runs against teams like Hong Kong and Bangladesh in recent times and has managed just 20 and 7 in the two innings he has played against the Windies in the ongoing series.

Tough to deliver in international cricket straightaway

According to 62-year-old Vengsakar, Dhoni is fit but his batting form is not in the best of shape. He even took a dig at the veteran cricketer for not playing domestic cricket. There was speculation of Dhoni joining his in-form home state Jharkhand in the recently concluded Vijay Hazare Trophy but he eventually didn’t.

“He is fit but his form is suspect. That is because he doesn’t play all the formats and doesn’t play domestic cricket as well. It is tough to straightaway come and play international cricket,” Vengsarkar was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.

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