MS Dhoni's experience will help Virat Kohli in the World Cup: Kumar Sangakkara

The meteoric rise of Rishabh Pant and the stunning form of Dinesh Karthik have made many speculate that MS Dhoni’s place in the team is in danger. Dhoni’s recent form might have put those speculations to the bed for the time being but the apprehensions have not fully allayed. Dhoni was under immense pressure to deliver after a horrific 2018 and he did manage to shut his critics with an impressive performance in Australia as well as New Zealand.

He scored fifties in all the games of the three-match ODI series in Australia, helping India win their first-ever bilateral ODI series on the Australian soil. Dhoni finished the series as India’s top-scorer, amassing 193 runs to bag the Man of the Series award. He also played a couple of impressive knocks in New Zealand which further showed that the veteran has found his mojo again.

With Dhoni looking in good form at the moment, former Sri Lanka skipper Kumar Sangakkara feels the Indian wicketkeeper has secured his place in the team despite stiff competition from the likes of Karthik and Pant.

“Rishabh Pant has been an outstanding discovery for India. So competition for places whether you are young or old actually drives you to do better. It just depends on how you take it. Whether you look at it as an opportunity or a threat.

I think MS is quite secure about who he is and how he has gone about it and I think he understands people very well. So he will understand how to navigate those issues not just about selection but also personalities in the dressing room,” Sangakkara told India Today.

‘Experience counts’

Sangakkara further reiterated the popular perception, saying that Dhoni’s inexperience will be invaluable for Team India when they fly to England for the all-important World Cup. The legendary wicketkeeper-batsman feels Kohli will benefit a lot from Dhoni’s presence in tough situations.

“When it comes to a World Cup, experience counts a lot. Not just experience but that is close to its best. I think MS Dhoni will definitely find a place in that World Cup 15 for India,” he said.

“Also I think with his experience, Virat will want to have a very cool head on the field, if push comes to shove when they are in a tight situation in a World Cup,” he added.

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