The Way MS Dhoni Is Batting At The Moment, He Is Putting Pressure On Other Batsmen: Gautam Gambhir

Veteran India batsman Gautam Gambhir, on Tuesday (July 17), said MS Dhoni’s slow approach while batting is putting pressure on the other batsmen.

Dhoni has been facing widespread criticism for his ultra-defensive approach in the second and third ODIs against England. In the second game, the 37-year old had walked in at the fall of Virat Kohli’s wicket with India needing 183 in 23 overs. The asking rate was below 8 at that time. But by the time, Dhoni departed, the required run-rate had nearly doubled.  He had scored 37 off 59 balls as India managed to add just 75 runs in the last 20 overs. In fact, the last 10 overs produced just 42 as India could manage only 86 in reply to 323. As a result, India could only manage 236 in 50 overs.

Even in the third ODI, the World Cup-winning skipper could not make amends and once again failed to bat as per his reputation. The right-hander managed to score 42 but used up 66 deliveries for the same. What made things even worse was the timing of his dismissal. He was the last recognised batsmen at the crease and just when it looked like he would accelerate, he departed in the 46th over. India eventually managed a modest 256 for 8.

And Gambhir feels the wicketkeeper-batsman’s unusual approach is putting pressure on his teammates.

“The way MS played in the last innings and today as well, there has been a lot of dot balls. The way he is batting at the moment, he is putting pressure on the other batters as well.  He needs to be very much proactive,” Gambhir told Cricbuzz.

Gambhir also said that Dhoni’s struggle in the middle-overs has helped English spinners tighten up things. He also said that that Dhoni needs to work to sort out the problem of playing out so many dot balls before criticising him again for not batting till the end.

“The spell which you have seen of Rashid and Moeen in both the games, a lot has to be because of the way MS batted. I have not seen MS play so many dot balls a couple of years back. There is something which he really needs to work on. Normally MS Dhoni is someone who takes his time. But then he is able to be aggressive in the last ten overs. But that is clearly missing in the last two games,” he said.

“Today the moment he got out that was the time when everyone expected MS to be the aggressor. And may be had he been there till the 50th over, India would have got to 270-280. If you are taking time upfront, then make sure you stay till the end as well.  We spoke about this in the first ODI about Ben Stokes. We were pretty much harsh on him. We need to be exactly the same with MS as well,” he added.