Sanjay Manjrekar doubts MS Dhoni's place in the Indian team

The doubts over former Indian captain MS Dhoni‘s place in the Indian team aren’t all cleared yet, as a new chapter opened today after Indian cricketer turned commentator Sanjay Manjrekar questioned his position in the Indian limited-overs team. Manjrekar said that Dhoni’s place in the team should be weighed equally as any other player in the national team.

Despite his status as a legendary captain, and a remarkable gloveman, Dhoni has been under scrutiny in the last two months, especially after his rather dull performance against New Zealand in the recently concluded T20I series. Manjrekar said that the 36-year-old has lost his ability to win the games in crunch situations.

“He (Dhoni) is not the game changer as often as he was in the past,” Manjarekar said to ESPNCricinfo. “Earlier, he could tonk four sixes off six balls at will, now he can hit only one. He now has to rely more on others to win games.” added the former cricketer.

No player is bigger than the game

Further, Manjrekar defended his colleagues Ajit Agarkar and VVS Laxman for questioning on the selection of the wicketkeeper-batsman in the shortest format of the game.

“If there is someone outside the team showing potential to contribute more than Dhoni does in his current form, it’s a matter to be discussed and debated, and without inviting angry and irrational responses. It’s healthy for the game and must not be stifled,” he added.

While there has been clear-cut criticism for the right-handed batsman for not clearing the boundaries in the same fashion as he used to, statistics suggest otherwise. According to the statistics, the wicketkeeper has largely improved his limited-overs game in the recent year or so, with the national team. Further, Dhoni has received support from the Indian skipper Virat Kohli, whose argument was seconded by the head coach Ravi Shastri.

Manjrekar meanwhile is clearly unhappy that a vast majority of the Indian cricket fans are not able to take constructive criticism in their stride and holds that no player should be treated bigger than the game.

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