MS Dhoni still country’s best finisher and wicketkeeper, says MSK Prasad

The Indian selection committee found things challenging after veteran wicketkeeper-batsman MS Dhoni decided against quitting immediately after the cricket World Cup after Team India exited in the semi-finals. There was a lot of confusion over whether the 38-year-old would still be in the reckoning for selection as the selectors met for picking the squads for the tour of the West Indies.

However, Dhoni made it a tad easier for the selectors by making himself unavailable for a few months as he decided to take army training. Chairman of the selection committee MSK Prasad, also a former India wicket-keeper, had said in the past that a legendary player’s Dhoni knows when to take calls over retirement.

He showed his respect for the man once again by remarking that the Ranchi cricketer is still the best finisher and keeper India have in the limited-over formats. He even defended the slow batting that Dhoni exhibited during the World Cup and said the veteran was one of the major strengths of the Indian team.

Dhoni, who was slammed for his batting against teams like Afghanistan and England in the World Cup, earned a massive sympathy after getting run out narrowly in the semi-final against New Zealand that dashed India’s final hopes of making their fourth final. Dhoni’s batting position in that crucial game (No.7) after India lost wickets in a heap came under scrutiny.

‘Others are still work in progress’

“I can clearly say this that till today MS [Dhoni] is the best gloveman and finisher in India in the shorter formats. The others are still work in progress. MS was a big strength to this team in the World Cup both as a batsman and keeper, apart from sharing his vast experience with the team and captain while taking on-field decisions,” Timesnownews.com cited reports quoting Prasad as saying.

Dhoni has played 350 ODIs scoring over 10,700 runs and won India all the ICC events including the world cups in 20 and 50 overs and the Champions Trophy. Prasad also revealed on the occasion India’s plans to groom Rishabh Pant as the successor to Dhoni. He has been picked as the first wicket-keeper across all formats in the West Indies tour.