Rohit Sharma conveys a strong message to MS Dhoni's critics

Rohit Sharma, after his successful stint as captain in the recently-concluded Sri Lanka series, has highlighted the importance of having MS Dhoni in the team and has backed the veteran wicketkeeper-batsman to continue representing the country in the limited overs format.

He hit back at Dhoni’s critics saying “many cannot understand” what the 36-year-old offers to the team while referring to his “invaluable” inputs to the youngsters on and off the field. Dhoni’s place in the India limited-over sides, especially T20Is, has been questioned by critics, including former cricketers of the likes of VVS Laxman, Aakash Chopra and Ajit Agarkar. They opined that it was time for Dhoni to make way for youngsters in the T20I format after a series of disappointing performances with the bat in the T20I series against New Zealand in November.

MSD knows what the bowler is trying to do

However, the World Cup-winning former captain with his relatively more impactful contributions in the recently-concluded Sri Lanka series, silenced some of these talks by batting higher up the order. Apart from his exploits with the bat, Dhoni’s guidance in the absence of skipper Virat Kohli worked wonders for the hosts. He was also seen guiding the young spinners on various occasions which resulted in a lot of success for the new spin twins.

“In recent times, his performance has been no less than that of any other player in the team,” Rohit told Aaj Tak, as quoted by India Today, as reported by IB Times. He added, “You could see for yourself how [Jasprit] Bumrah, Kuldeep [Yadav], [Yuzvendra] Chahal or any other bowler seek Dhoni’s advice. Standing behind the stumps, he (Dhoni) knows what the bowler is trying to do.”

“Thus, he brings a lot to the table which many cannot understand. His inputs to bowlers are so important,” he said. “He has won so many tournaments for India. His experience is huge. He is still in the team as a leader. He continues to guide all the boys and his inputs are valuable.”

Rohit further said, “We started playing cricket under the leadership of MS Dhoni. He stood by us when there was nobody. He has guided and helped so many youngsters. He knows how to take the team out of difficult situations. By virtue of his experience, he reads the situations perfectly.”

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