Former India wicketkeeper-batsman Kiran More has said spinners likes Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav are struggling because of MS Dhoni’s absence. Time and again, India’s bowlers have said how MS Dhoni’s tips from behind the stumps guided them and helped them perform well.
MS Dhoni, who took a sabbatical from the game after last year’s World Cup, announced his retirement in August this year. Talking to Indian Women’s coach WV Raman, More said that Jadeja and Kuldeep are “no longer the same bowlers” in the legendary wicketkeeper’s absence. Both Jadeja and Kuldeep have struggled to be among wickets in recent times.
More explained how Virat Kohli had the luxury of standing near the boundary when his predecessor was part of the team and constantly guided the spinners from behind the stumps.
“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.
He 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,” he said while speaking to WV Raman in latter’s podcast Inside Out.
Kiran More, who was the chief selector when MS Dhoni got his maiden India call-up in 2004, further said that countries like Pakistan, England and South Africa are searching for a wicketkeeper-batsman as captain because of the former India skipper’s achievements.
“‘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,” said More.