Long streak of ODIs will help MS Dhoni to keep in touch with international cricket: Virat Kohli

It has been almost three years since MS Dhoni walked away from the Test scene. Following his stepping down, Virat Kohli has done an exceptional job in the Test arena; though sterner challenges lie ahead when they travel overseas. Since then, Dhoni has played in every limited-over series but the long breaks between the tours have prompted him to look a little rusty at times.

India looking to recognize ideal combination

With India set to play a barrage of white-ball cricket in the rest part of the year, Kohli hopes Dhoni to find momentum and carry it forward. Currently playing an ODI series in Sri Lanka, India is scheduled to host Australia, New Zealand, and Sri Lanka before setting off to South Africa early next year. With the eye on the 2019 World Cup, India is identifying the right set of players going forward. Their agenda is to assign roles to each player and a long string of ODIs will help them in doing that.

“This coming season gives us an opportunity to define roles for players and give them time to execute them so that for the World Cup we know exactly what one player needs to do in certain situations,” Kohli said.

“And it helps someone like Dhoni too because he doesn’t play Test cricket anymore. This long streak of matches will help him stay in touch with the international games, find some momentum and stick to it.

“You want to find momentum in a season like this and make sure you carry it through with consistent performances.”

Dhoni under scrutiny

With the advent of Rishabh Pant coupled with Dhoni being on the wrong side of the thirties, there has been immense pressure on the two-time World Cup winner. His ability to finish off games hasn’t been the same though he is still good enough to warrant a place in the team. After an indifferent 2016, where he averaged 27.80 after 13 games, Dhoni has been in good form this year, scoring 386 runs at 64.33 after 14 games.

The swashbuckling wicket-keeper batsman from Jharkhand is approaching the 10,000 run mark in ODIs. After playing in 297 ODIs, Dhoni has amassed 9496 runs at 51.32. He has been the most consistent middle order batsman India has ever had in ODIs and boasts of a strike rate of 88.69. The 36-year old has scored 10 centuries and 64 half centuries in a career which started in late 2004.