'Virat and Ravi Bhai will get some help from him' - Shardul Thakur happy with MS Dhoni's appointment as Team India mentor

Cricket fans have their eyes on the calendar as the high-voltage T20 World Cup 2021 is just around the corner. The gala tournament will get underway on October 17 with the matches taking place in UAE and Oman. Team India is one of the top contenders to lift the title as the Men in Blue have been exceptional in the shortest international format lately.

Besides top-quality players, the Indian side will also have the services of MS Dhoni. The former Indian skipper has been named mentor of the side for the marquee tournament. With Dhoni being one of the finest wicketkeeper-batsmen ever, many believe his presence in the dressing room would definitely benefit the Virat Kohli-led side. Indian pacer Shardul Thakur is also of the same opinion.

Thakur, who has been playing for MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings since 2018, said he’s very happy with the decision. The right-arm pacer also believes Dhoni’s wisdom would help skipper Virat Kohli and head coach Ravi Shastri.

MS Dhoni will bring more ideas to the team: Shardul Thakur

“I’m very happy with the decision. I’ve played along with him (MS Dhoni) for three years now, and I know that his experience comes in handy. He will bring more ideas to the team. I think Virat and Ravi Bhai will also get some help from him. Mahi bhai will bring one more angle, especially when we’re in tricky situations,” Thakur said in a conversation with The Indian Express.

For the unversed, Dhoni has India in all six previous editions of the T20 World Cup. He even took the Men in Blue to glory in the inaugural 2007 edition. Hence, his plethora of experience can prove to be beneficial. Not to forget, the T20 World Cup will commence a couple of days after the conclusion of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021.

With both tournaments taking place in UAE, Dhoni, who’ll lead CSK, would assess the track conditions even better during the lucrative league. Speaking of Thakur, the right-arm pacer has been named a standby in the India squad for the global event. Hence, he must be ready to grab opportunities. The pacer is also gearing up for the second leg of IPL 2021 which gets underway on September 19.