Gautam Gambhir potentially a better test cricket captain than MS Dhoni

Mahendra Singh Dhoni or MSD in short continues to remain the captain of Inidian Cricket team even though he has the shameless away record among all the Indian captains thus far. The 8-0 away series drubbing where India lost to mediocre England and bore Cricket Australia's team in past couple of years has had no affect on MS Dhoni's captaincy as he continues to remain the most tactless captain ever. Under him India is likely to loose all the away matches this year as well. This will not be because of lack of quality players under him but because of his inability to use what he has got.

Gautam Gambhir - A Perfect Captain

MS Dhoni continuation as captain of India despite head shaker losses raises a question of two about the availability of resources for captaincy of India. Does India lack players who can lead the national team? After thinking about it - answer is comprehensive 'NO'. Far from it - India has many potentially great captains waiting to get an opportunity to serve the nation. Gautam Gambhir is the front runner in the race. The way he has been able to lift the morale of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in IPL 7 after a horrible start to the league is a prime example of his leadership qualities. Some of the international great players like AB De Villers have openly said in press that Gautam Gambhir has a potential to become the great captain. Jaques Kallis, now retired from test cricket, also shares the same view. Only problem with Gautam Gambhir is his own form which is not enabling him to get into the first eleven and hence the captaincy looks far away thing to be had.

Form is not the only thing that denies players to get their true position in Indian cricket, there is politics too. Everyone knows the backing MS Dhoni get from selectors, although Mohinder Amarnath was exception and he had to paid the price for raising voice against MS Dhoni, and has done quite well in limited over cricket. This is another problem in Indian Cricket. If you do some thing well in ODI and T 20 cricket you are considered good for test cricket as well. This is especially true if your godfathers are in cricket commentary who are also the former greats. You might be wondering what commentators has to do with who gets the captaincy or not? It matters a lot in Indian cricket. If a 'kar' and 'tri' says good things about you - no one can replace you from captaincy position. On the other hand if 'kar' and 'tri' don't like you - you won't be in a team no matter however good your performance has been. Then there is 'ogle' as well - master of creating the environment in favor and in against (mostly against) the player. Ask Yuvraj Singh, Virat Kohli, and Ishant Sharma, if you don't know what I am saying, how the comments from Mr. Ogle has made their cricketing career a hell at various times.

They say that all salute the shining sun. MS Dhoni is a shining sun even though he is not the best captain for India at the test cricket level. Bad luck is that he has age and so many other factors backing him. This means that the most deserving players who can captain India, especially Gautam Gambhir, will continue to be kept denied the opportunity captain the Indian Cricket team. India is most likely to suffer another whitewash by the hands of England in the upcoming test series this summer. MS Dhoni might win the IPL 7 for CSK Chennai Super Kings but he will struggle to win a test match series for India, for sure.

MS Dhoni - Misfiring Captain of India cricket team

India's tour of New Zealand is over, but there is no good news for indian cricket and it's fans. India has managed to loose yet another series playing away from home under the captaincy of 'captain cool' MS Dhoni. The same captain who has won two world cups and many other ODI tournaments, like champions trophy, is loosing his fans (as a leader) very quickly.

It all started with a test match in West Indies where India bought the shutters down with less than 100 runs to win an illusive test match in Caribbean Islands. India did win the series, but didn't show what is expected from a number 1 ranked test team in ICC cricket rankings.

After that what followed Indian Cricket was series of losses, in fact whitewashes, that are now part of most painful era of Indian Cricket in recent years.

Those losses were seen by cricket pundits as normal events. It was believed that few great players are not at the peak of their games and nearing retirements. They all retired, one after the another, but nothing changed. VVS Laxman, Sourav Ganguly, Anil Kumble, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, all have hanged their boots. Even people like Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Yuvraj Singh, and Harbhajan Singh are not there in the team to disturb the great plans of MS Dhoni. He ca do whatever he wants. There is no one to say to him 'this strategy is not working'. He can bench certain players for the entire tour, like what Ishwar Pandey and Stuart Binny have just experienced in New Zealand, but can he continue to keep leading India after amassing the most disappointing cricket record, when it comes of victories overseas, for India.

Is MS Dhoni on the verge of loosing captaincy

Yes there are CSK (Chennai Super Kings) fans and few others that love Mahendra Singh Dhoni, but there are many who now hates him. Criticism of MS Dhoni is at its peak.

"I think he [Dhoni] doesn't trust his bowling attack as much as I think he should," Dravid said. "I saw that even in the Test match in Durban, where he didn't take the new ball till 146 overs. In fact he was forced to take the new ball. He didn't trust his fast bowlers to be able to take wickets. He kept playing with the older ball because he wanted to control the runs. So I think that is a slightly defensive mindset that he's got into.

"I think he's got to realise this very quickly, that if he wants to win Test matches abroad, he's got to risk it all. He's got to take that chance that he's going to have to lose some Test matches. The only way you can win abroad is to take a few risks, take a few gambles."

Overseas, Dhoni has captained India in 23 Tests, of which they have won five, lost 11 and drawn seven. At home, his record is much better - 21 wins, three defeats and six draws. Asked if he should continue as Test captain, given India's upcoming Test tours to England and Australia, Dravid said Dhoni deserved a chance to set his record right.

For guys who keep complaining about bowling options, please, please tell me what does a bowler need to more than reduce the opposition 5 wickets down? There are swipes which will go over WK head, nicks which go to 3rd man boundary. That happens, and there are times when the no. 6/7 will score a century even with that. Arent we already loosing matches with the defensive mindset? Whats the harm in attacking and loosing? Then there was last test match, we had two days, two whole days!! There was absolutely no need for hit or get out by him or Jaddu, havent they learned anything from Faf, their CSK mate? Then there is a school of thought for Dhoni, the batsmen. Had it been Tendulkar, Dravid or Laxman this same guy would have howled out about them under performing. Between 2010 and SA tests, Dhoni had played 15 tests, averaging 26 while scoring 685 runs overseas. That speaks volumes about his utility in the team. IMO people should give up on India winning overseas tests until he resigns.

Girdhar Krishnan says: "I still maintain that Dhoni is a horrible captain in all formats. Its just that he is lucky to win even with bad decisions like playing piyush chawla and sreesanth in World Cup. Even then I maintain he is better than Virat Kohli who has no temperament and and has thrown the match away due to poor shot selection in IPL as well as for India. I believe Shewag or Gambir can be other options but they are not in the team. So its best from India's point of view Dhoni continues to lead till 2015 WC and then he can continue his dream run of CSK. Selectors should step in and take wise decisions, if you give any team 4 such bowlers its tough. Batting alone will never win matches. BTW Kohli was the culprit this match dropping such a simple chance due to his complacency. Groom bowlers and groom someone like Rahane or Pujara to be the Captain. For now Dhoni is the best problem India can have as replacing that problem will cause only more disaster."

I believe that Dhoni definitely should resign in tests. In ODIs I don't mind his captaincy although even in ODIs away from home, India have been very poor recently. I would also say that he should either give up the gloves and focus on his batting technique to stay in the test team because at the moment it is only his captaincy which keeps him in the team, his batting is not good enough away from home and there are better keepers in India that will play a fighting innings like BJ Watling did and won't throw their wicket away.

Being defensive when you are in front of the game against any opposition is stupid and this is what Dhoni has done over the last 3/4 years. We need a change. We have much promise in our team, both batting and bowling, but we need to pick the right team which Dhoni fails to do too.

 

Dhoni has however found some support "Dhoni still deserve to be captain once he got right bowling combination. With this bowling unit i dont think india gonna win a serious abroad. Specially when you go with eight batter's and only three bowlers.Poor team selection cost india!", said a fan of MS Dhoni.

Shocking revealings of IPL probe done headed by Mukul Mudgal

Justice Mukul Mudgal's report on IPL controversy revealed some shocking things that are hard to believe for Indian cricket fans. Six astonishing lines from Mudgal report has highlighted the corruption in IPL and has managed to raise quite a few eyebrows. Already cricket lovers want to get rid of Meiyappan, Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Rajasthan Royals and others whose name has come up in investigation.

Raj Kundra (owner of rajasthan royals) believed, as per report, that betting was legal in India. He is UK citizen
and betting in cricket is legal there. He is in trouble now.

As far as Gurunath Meiyappan is concerned, this is what report has to say: "The Committee is of the view that Mr. Meiyappan was accredited/authorised (though implicit at times) by the Franchise Owner i.e. India Cements, to participate and be present when various crucial decisions were taken in relation to CSK. One such example of authorisation is, the fact that India Cements themselves forwarded accreditation requests for Mr. Meiyappan, every year for the last six seasons, requesting for grant of accreditation access cards in the name of Mr. Meiyappan under different nomenclatures (i.e. Owner and Management)."

It seems like Meiyappan had extra constitutional power at CSK and although he claims to be just a cricket fan he could sit in team meeting, sit in a dugout, and also can wander around the cricket pitch.

Cricket fans, especially those who love IPL cricket are understandably angry and have their view points. Here are some angry reactions from cricket lovers:

GrindAR says "Probably Gurunath is not as slave as Mr Singh... mostly because he knew how to quench his desires silently. Poor Singh has to be ideal example of being a pawn of worthless party wanted to rule the country by divide and conquer.... Wait.... something very similar term we refer to somebody from west who looted the country until 65 yrs ago.... wait.... people still have the same situation... in fact worst than 65 yrs ago."

Mriganka Shekhar Chaliha says "Our ex cricketers including Shastry , Gavaskar and some others ( take out Dravid , Sourav and Laxnan )are mere pawns of the big corporate known as BCCI . BCCI under Srinivasan and India cements is a farce in a democracy like India and this commercial house , the way it us being is being run now , has become the greatest threat to the survival of the beautiful game not only in India but in the world. Some of the cricketers and businessmen are playing with the passions of the millions like us. BCCI should be revamped and IPL should be stopped this year. If at all its run it should be run in a different format under a different body in future. Its becoming too much and fans will soon run out if patience looking at these unbearable events."

Sachin Endulkar says "BCCI has 'officially' made cricket all about money. The first step that government of India or the courts should take is to scrap BCCI as an institution and all other sports federations as well. A law should be passed on structure, organization and working of all sports bodies in the country, with special mention of their priorities. Development of the sport and sportsperson should be the number one objective of all sports bodies. Finally in order to minimize political interference no active politician (i.e. member of any state or national party) be allowed to take any part in the functioning of any sport federation. Only then will we have a clean sports culture and see ourselves grow as a true sporting power in the world." 

There are some other interesting views as well. You know how people can react in India. Someone suggested that they should now officially change the name of India Cricket team to India Cements. There are calls that MS Dhoni should step down from captaincy.

This is a very troubling development. There seem to be ominous implications for Srinivasan, who is the head of BCCI and the future Chairman of the ICC. His role in both these organizations should be in jeopardy. The Big 3 (India, Australia, England) now have a big headache.

The BCCI should be run by our past eminent Cricketers. There should be no place for technocrats and power brokers in managing cricket. And in the end, What are the odds of different betting laws in India?