Published 09:22 IST, December 14th 2019
Ravi Shastri spills the beans on why Dhoni was sent late in World Cup semi-finals
Team India's head coach Ravi Shastri broke his silence on why MS Dhoni was sent down the order to bat in the semi-final clash against New Zealand at the WC
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Team India's head coach Ravi Shastri broke his silence on why MS Dhoni was sent down the order to bat in the semi-final clash against New Zealand at the World Cup and put an end to speculations with a befitting reply. Ever since India crashed out of the World Cup, questions have been directed at both the skipper and the management regarding who was responsible for sending the former skipper lower down the order. While the answer to all the queries was that it was a team decision, the question still holds significance for a lot of fans, who believe that they could have seen more of Captain Cool had India won that contest had Dhoni not been run-out at that crucial moment. However, Ravi Shastri decided to end the speculations about Dhoni once in for all as he spoke to a news daily and justified his response with a strong backing of facts and experience.
Shastri justifies Dhoni's position in WC semi-finals
Speaking to a news daily, Shastri categorically said that the team would have never sent Dhoni in to bat when India were at just five runs for three wickets. Shastri backed the team's decision and asked what was Dhoni's biggest strength. With the obvious answer being Dhoni's finishing ability, Shastri went on to explain that it would have been a disaster for the side had Dhoni gone in to bat that early in the game. The head coach also hailed all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and said that he 'made things happen' and had set the stage for MS Dhoni to finish the game. Shastri revealed that Dhoni had calculated all odds but for the unfortunate run-out that ended India's dream of reaching the finals of the World Cup.
'That guy is a legend'
Speaking to a news publication, Ravi Shastri hailed MS Dhoni as a legend and said that the last thing that the wicketkeeper-batsman would do was impose himself on the team. Shastri backed Dhoni's break from cricket and said that he would play in the IPL. Talking about MS Dhoni taking a call on his international career after the IPL, Ravi Shastri said that if Dhoni felt that he could play for India after the IPL, then one should not 'mess around with that'.
09:04 IST, December 14th 2019