Kapil Dev comes in support of MS Dhoni, terming him as an asset to the team

It was perhaps only a week ago when the World Cup-winning captain of India, Kapil Dev, included MS Dhoni on his list of the three players who changed the face of the Indian cricket forever with the likes of Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag.

However, things weren’t as smooth as expected for MS Dhoni as his critics took a jibe at his place in the T20Is post his innings at Rajkot. VVS Laxman, Aakash Chopra and Ajit Agarkar came out and suggested that MSD should give opportunities to youngsters in the shortest format of the game and retire from T20Is.

That said, the men who matter, Head Coach Ravi Shastri and Virat Kohli believe that there is a lot of cricket left in him and players of the stature of MS Dhoni should have the right to call it quits on their own terms. Kapil Dev also joined in support of MSD and claimed that the talismanic wicket-keeper batsman is an asset to the side.

MSD falls in perfectly in VK’s scheme of things, suggests Kapil Dev

“Dhoni is an asset, quite like Sunil Gavaskar was when I was the captain. It helps to have mature players in the team. He’s very humble and, yes, has a good cricket brain. Dhoni comes across as somebody who is fully aware of whatever he’s doing. My personal view is that Dhoni should play till there’s somebody better than him in ODIs and in T20Is,” stated Kapil Dev according to the Telegraph.

“It’s not just that there’s nobody even close to Dhoni and that it’s good to have an experienced head around, but he’s supremely fit. The level of Dhoni’s fitness fits into captain (Virat) Kohli’s scheme of things. Kohli is a huge one for fitness and leads by example. Dhoni maybe over 36, but he scores on that count. In any case, as I’ve said, he’s an asset,” further added Dev.

Reacting to those who have made it a habit of gunning for Dhoni after one or two small scores, Kapil stated in a tone of annoyance: “When there’s no replacement, what’s the use of trying to question the utility of an asset like Dhoni? It’s a waste of time.”