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Is there anyone who can replace MS Dhoni in the next series, asks Kapil Dev

Former India captain Kapil Dev believes Mahendra Singh Dhoni is constantly being scrutinised despite performing to the best of team's requirements.

Is there anyone who can replace MS Dhoni in the next series, asks Kapil Dev

New Delhi, Feb 27: Former India captain Kapil Dev believes Mahendra Singh Dhoni is constantly being scrutinised despite performing to the best of team's requirements.

The legendary India cricketer feels there is no other player in the country who could emerge as a replacement to MS Dhoni in the next series that team faces.

Kohli's emotions were a little over the top in SAKohli's emotions were a little over the top in SA

Talking to Firstpost at Laureus Sports Awards, the 59-year-old cricketer, when asked about Dhoni's place in the Indian side, said, "Why do people have this doubt? Is there any cricketer who can take Mahi's place in the next series? I'm not talking about the 2019 World Cup. I'll go series by series. He's such a mature cricketer if he can help Virat Kohli, why not? If he's not performing at all, I can understand.

Kapil also believes that a section of media is critical of the 36-year-old cricketer's performance game by game.

"The problem with the media is that they compare Dhoni with what he was 10 years back. He's not going to be like that, but I think we need to see whatever he's doing for the team is it good enough for the team or not."

The world cup winning captain's observation that Indian cricket team heavily upon relies upon Dhoni could be understood with the fact that there isn't a potential replacement for the veteran wicketkeeper-batsman.

Dhoni has been rested for the upcoming tri-nation T20I Nidahas Trophy between India-Sri Lanka-Bangladesh. Young Delhi cricketer Rishabh Pant or senior Tamil Nadu cricketer Dinesh Karthik will be performing the duties from behind the stumps.

When asked about Team India's turn-around performance on the tour of South Africa after going 2-1 down in the Test series, the legendary all-rounder said he never believed the team would bounce back so well.

"India's tour went wonderfully well. I never expected that the team would bounce back so well (after the first two Tests). India should have won the Test series also, but South Africa played really well. India got some opportunities in the Tests, but they could not exploit that. But finally, once the won the last Test, India didn't look back.

"Winning 5-1 in South Africa against South Africa was huge. Besides Virat Kohli, our wrist spinners also did an incredible job. In the last few years, ever since he's taken over he's done amazingly well in the way he's motivated the entire team," said Dev.

Former Australia skipper Steve Waugh also attended the event and felt that India skipper Virat Kohli was 'little over the top' on South Africa tour and suggested the latter needs to tone down his emotions.

When asked about Kohli's aggressive brand of captaincy and Steve Waugh's comments, Kapil opined as long as it is reaping the India skipper dividends he has no problems with it for everyone has a different personality.

"I think everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Steve has his opinion. I'm not going to respond to that. I feel as long as success is coming to the team, that's good enough. Basically, our nation is a very soft nation. Virat is one of the few who has come out and changed the thought process. In fact, it was Sourav Ganguly who started changing our thought process. And then we had MS Dhoni, who was a totally different person. He was calm and quiet. So it's what works for you.

"As long as success is coming on the field, that's more important. I think Virat (Kohli) will mellow down as time passes. If not, that's his decision. He's always been like this ever since I saw him in his U-19 days," he added further.

Story first published: Tuesday, February 27, 2018, 17:05 [IST]
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