Exclusive: Syed Kirmani feels MS Dhoni should play for India till 2019 World Cup

Bengaluru, Sep 1: Legendary India wicketkeeper Syed Kirmani still recalls the phone call from one of the members of the senior selection committee some 14 years ago.

Committee member Pranab Roy called up Kirmani, who is hailed as one of the finest glovesman India has ever had, was the chairman of the senior selection committee.

It was around in 2003 when the selectors started losing their faith in Deep Dasgupta, who was the wicketkeeper of the senior Indian squad, due to his inconsistency.

At the same time, following an initiative from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) talented upcoming cricketers throughout the country were being explored.

Kirmani, who was part of the 1983 World Cup winning team, while speaking over phone told MyKhel,"Amidst the situation like this, I received a call from Pranab Roy one fine day. He was watching a match in the domestic cricket, probably in Ranchi that time. Pranab told me that he has found a new wicketkeeper-batsman who has been performing well in the domestic cricket for last two seasons. His name was Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

"So I asked Pranab how the new boy was performing behind the wickets. Pranab replied to my surprise that the boy was fielding at deep fine leg!”

Kirmani remembered, “I wondered if a cricketer was fielding at deep fine leg then how could Pranab say that he had spotted a promising wicketkeeper?"

"Pranab must have been aware of my surprise. So he informed me in detail that the young lad has some very impressive statistics in the domestic cricket for the last two seasons and that he's good behind the wickets as well.”

Kirmani added,"It was only after Roy's call, that I observed Dhoni’s tremendous performance in the domestic cricket. In his debut for the season for Jharkhand in 2000, the boy from Ranchi had struck 283 runs in only five matches. He was 18 years old then.

"In the very next season, he scored his maiden first class century against Bengal. Even in the 2003 season, Dhoni scored a mammoth 244 runs in only four matches in Deodhar Trophy. So I did not delay. After a discussion with other members of the selection committee, we decided to include Dhoni in the Duleep Trophy finals and his journey with Indian cricket started since then.”

When asked about Dhoni’s technique, the 67-year-old wicketkeeper refuted and said, “We should not discuss Dhoni's batting and wicketkeeping techniques. The game has been result-oriented under Dhoni’s leadership. Indian cricket team has reached the pinnacle of world cricket. So I feel he should be retained in the squad till 2019 World Cup. Team India still needs his immaculately cool mind and leadership quality.”