MS Dhoni and Yuzvendra Chahal (File Photo/BCCI)MS Dhoni’s “constant advice” to spinners is something the Indian team is missing these days, said former India wicketkeeper Kiran More.
‘‘During Dhoni’s time, he was constantly giving advice to bowlers on what length or line to bowl – albeit mostly in Hindi. Now that Dhoni is not there behind the wickets, India’s spinners are struggling – you will see Kuldeep (Yadav) or (Ravindra) Jadeja are no longer the same bowlers,” More told former India batsman WV Raman in the latter’s podcast ‘Inside Out’,” More said.
While India have had commendable showings on their ongoing tour of Australia, the modest success of their spinners have been noticeable. Kuldeep Yadav went for 1/57 in the only ODI he played. Yuzvendra Chahal has had returns of 1/89 and 0/71 in the ODIs and 1/51 and 0/41 in the T20Is. Even Ravindra Jadeja managed just one wicket in the entire series.
“Dhoni has done it for 10-12 years with aplomb as Virat Kohli could afford to stand in the deep, but now he has to either stand at short extra cover or mid-off to talk to the bowlers,” More said.
“It will be very difficult to find another Dhoni. If you see so many countries like Pakistan, England or South Africa trying with a wicketkeeper-batsman as captain, it’s because they have seen the benefit of having someone like him behind the stumps to read the game from the best position in the ground,” he also said.