I thank MS Dhoni for accepting BCCI's offer to help the team in T20 WC: Sourav Ganguly

MS Dhoni’s appointment to the role of mentor for the Indian squad taking part in the ICC T20 World Cup 2021 has been well received by all Indian fans. The captain of the Chennai Super Kings will be staying back in the UAE after the second leg of the IPL 2021 ends and will join the Indian squad as a mentor for just the T20 World Cup.

The announcement was made by the BCCI secretary during the virtual press conference organized to reveal the 15-member squad for the summit tournament. Dhoni had previously been associated with the Indian team as a captain for each of the T20 World Cups since 2007. Now in 2021, he will don a different role. BCCI President Sourav Ganguly has put forward his opinions about this development. 

He said during an interaction that Dhoni’s addition is a way in which this team can use his experience in the competition. He also thanked the former Indian skipper for accepting the proposal to join the team for this tournament. “MS Dhoni’s addition to the side is a way to use his experience in the T20 World Cup, I also thank Dhoni for accepting BCCI’s offer for help the team in the tournament,” Ganguly said to BCCI.tv. 

MS Dhoni to be India’s mentor for only this tournament

While defining Dhoni’s role for the World Cup, Jay Shah said that this will be an one-off role. There is no information further he would ever continue in this role but going by the words of the BCCI secretary, it seems only obvious that he has been appointed only for this tournament. 

“As far as MS Dhoni is concerned, I spoke to him when I was in Dubai so he was okay with the decision and he agreed to be the team mentor for the T20 World Cup only. I discussed this particular issue with my colleagues also, they are all on the same page,” Jay Shah said during the virtual press conference.

This is a move that seems to have been taken from Australia or several other franchise teams across the globe. During their long English summer in 2019, Ricky Ponting joined the Australian side as a mentor for the ICC Cricket World Cup and later Steve Waugh was given a similar role for the Ashes.