Veteran Yuvraj Singh on Friday said underlined the importance of MS Dhoni’s presence to India’s chances of winning the World Cup.
Yuvraj thinks that Dhoni is an important member while taking decisions on the field. However, the former India captain’s place in the side has been a subject of debate owing to his inconsistent form but many – including batting great Sunil Gavaskar – have said that his tremendous grasp of match situations makes him invaluable.
Yuvraj, the 2011 World Cup’s Player-of-the-tournament, echoed the sentiment when asked about the Dhoni factor.
“I think Mahi [Dhoni] has a great cricket brain. And as a wicket-keeper, you are in the best position to monitor the game and he has done that brilliantly over the years,” Yuvraj said.
“He has been a great captain. [He is] with the young players and guiding Virat [Kohli] all the time. So, I feel his presence is very important in decision-making. He had a fantastic tournament in Australia and it is good to see him hit the ball how he used to do, and I wish him all the best,” he added.
Yuvraj, though, steered clear of queries on which where Dhoni should slot in. “That you have to ask Dhoni, which number he has to bat,” he said.
Yuvraj will be competing for Mumbai Indians in the IPL and said he will look to ease the pressure on skipper Rohit Sharma. “I think, if I can contribute in the middle-order, it will just take some weight off him [Rohit], and he can just go and play his natural game, while opening. [We will] see how the combinations [go],” Yuvraj said.
He also lauded fellow Punjab batsman Shubman Gill, who recently made his India debut in New Zealand, hailing his rapid progress.
“I was excited to see him [Shubman] play for India. It is amazing, how he has improved so much. He came back from the [India] A tour, scored lot of runs in domestic cricket, straightaway got an opportunity,” said Yuvraj.