And again the questions will start ringing, the whispers will become louder and every Tom Dick and Harry like me, will have an opinion of the way forward.
India has, apart from an anti-climatic finish, been part of a wonderful series which though was lost in a fashion completely unexpected, going by evidence from the previous four ODIS.
India was at least, in the bowling department annihilated, humiliated and painfully exposed. The one positive is that it can only get better from here. The Indians could not afford soft dismissals but the wickets of Virat Kohli, Shikhar Dhawan and Suresh Raina (whose dismissal was more of a mind game) neutralized Rahane’s silken batting who almost single handedly kept the Required Run Rate to around 10.3 for 8-10 overs.
However it was a freak match, something that happens very rarely and much cannot be read into it.
Indian media being the Indian media will obviously point the blame to captain of the Indian Team. It is an occupational hazard.
The question I would like to bring out is, would it be so bad for Dhoni to step down from captaincy.This is not a knee-jerk reaction but a chance to get new ideas and a new way of thinking onto the field for the next cycle of cricketing life.
It is hard to be an exceptional finisher, captain and wicketkeeper at the same time. Even AB De Villiers is finding it tough which is saying something. To do it with the success Dhoni has had for a long period is laudable but it is time now, not to give up the gloves- he still has much to offer as player- but to become a respected senior.
I feel Dhoni has mostly done all he can and needs to concentrate on other important responsibilities now that he is getting older. The reinvention- not only of himself but of the team at the 2015 world cup will be his greatest feat, equal to winning the trophy in 2011.
This is where the problem starts.
One would assume that Kohli is the captain in waiting and rightly so. Once Dhoni gives up limited overs captaincy Kohli will take over or at least that’s the plan.
However to me, observing the success of other teams with split captaincy roles, it seems to me that Kohli and the team would be better served if he remains as the star of the Indian cricket team in the limited over formats, not a leader (officially).
It will give him more focus for planning for test matches, ease in doing what he does in the limited overs format (score runs, break records to name a few) and this can actually prolong his career.
The million dollar question is who will replace Ms Dhoni? Ideally it should be someone whose place in the side is sure.
Which gives three options- Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane and R Ashwin.
Rohit is ideally suited for being the T20 captain with his success in the IPL giving evidence that he will do a good job. He is already a proven player and this added responsibility may just lift his game just as it has done with his performance for the Mumbai Indians.It’s not a sure bet but definitely worth a try.
Rahane, with his starts in the first four ODI’s and free flowing 87 at Mumbai should have done enough for him to be thought of as a long-term number 4 with him silencing his detractors at his pace of scoring.His next goal should be to be more consistent and to multiply his starts. Will it harm his long-term development if he gets captaincy at this stage of his career when he is still consolidating?
He is clearly respected and has calm demeanor and the selectors have shown faith in him by making him the captain during the Zimbabwe series.
Dhoni may play a pivotal role for this to happen. He should be captain until such a stage comes and may be a guide for Rahane until then.
And then there is Ashwin who has in the last 12 months been the major hope along with Ishant Sharma for the Indian bowling to have some chance of picking 20 wickets in a test match. His 60 balls in an ODI are gold dust on flat tracks. He has proved that he is attacking and has a smart cricketing brain.
He surely would be a good choice with either Rahane or him leading the One Day outfit.
Regardless, Dhoni’s role in this scenario will be really delicate and important.
And then there is Virat Kohli who clearly wants to be the captain, which is not a bad thing actually but I feel this option would give him better focus and less stress.
He is the ideal test captain who, although sometimes ultra-aggressive and over-optimistic of our bowling resources, makes things happen.
The example of South Africa is suitable here- with Amla the test captain while De Villiers and Du Plessis leading the One Day and T20 teams respectively and all three complement each other and have had reasonable success.
It is the best way to bring the best out of each player for the team and must definitely be given a thought upon.
But…Will Dhoni agree? …Will Kohli agree?
Will the BCCI agree?
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