MS Dhoni sacrificed his international runs for team’s success: Gautam Gambhir

MS Dhoni and Gautam Gambhir are India’s greatest match-winners in white-ball cricket. Having played together and winning two World Cups in 2007 (T20) and 2011 (ODI), both helped India gain enormous success at the top level. An opener in the first place, Gambhir was instrumental in Indiatasting success on the bigger stages, while Dhoni led his team to all ICC white-ball trophies, becoming the first-ever captain in the game’s history to achieve this feat.

Speaking to the host broadcaster for the World Cup - Star Sports, Gambhir acknowledged Dhoni’s contribution to Indian cricket as a batter and a captain. Commenting on what he brought to the table with his power-hitting and brilliant game-reading ability, Gambhir said Dhoni was the first Indian keeper-batter who could change the game with his batting, unlike the previous ones, who were keepers first and then batters.

“MS (Dhoni) was the first wicketkeeper of India who could change the game with his batting. Earlier, they were keepers first and batters later, but MS was batter first and then was a wicketkeeper,” Gambhir said in a show on Star Sports. “It was a blessing for Indian cricket that in MS Dhoni, we got a wicketkeeper-batter who can win you matches from No 7 because he had that power game,” Gambhir added.

‘Dhoni sacrificed the batter in him for the team'

Dhoni’s earliest exploits in white-ball cricket earned him the reputation of a power-hitter at number six and seven, while his accolades as a captain gave him the name of Captain Cool.

Ex-India captain Sourav Ganguly promoting Dhoni to the number three slot in ODIs early in his career proved to be a masterstroke as MSD came off as a dynamite batter, hitting 148 against Pakistan in Vizag. Later, he broke his previous best record, hitting a marvellous 183 against Sri Lanka in Jaipur, batting at the same position.

Talking along the same lines, Gambhir said Dhoni sacrificed the batter in him to help his team win trophies at the international level.

“If MS would have batted at No 3, I am sure he could have broken several ODI records,” Gambhir said. “People always talk about MS Dhoni and his achievements as a captain, which is absolutely true. But I feel due to captaincy, he sacrificed the batter in him, and he could have achieved much more with his bat, which he didn’t. And this happens when you are a captain because then you put the team ahead, and you forget about yourself.”

“He started batting at No 6 or 7. If he had not been captain, he would have been India’s No. 3, and I think he could have scored more than what he has scored and could have scored more hundreds also. People always see MS with the trophies but in my opinion, he sacrificed his international runs for the team’s trophies,” the former India opener concluded.

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