Dhoni named India's mentor: 'Impossible for me to understand,' former cricketer reacts

BCCI have appointed Dhoni as India’s mentor for T20 WC
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BCCI have appointed Dhoni as India’s mentor for T20 WC

Highlights

  • BCCI have appointed Dhoni as India’s mentor for T20 WC
  • T20 WC is set to be played in Oman and the UAE
  • India’s opening fixture is against Pakistan on Oct. 24

Former Indian cricketer Ajay Jadeja has said that it is beyond his understanding why the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has appointed MS Dhoni as India's mentor for the T20 World Cup.

"It is impossible for me to understand. I am thinking for two days about what could be the thinking. I am not talking of MS Dhoni, the understanding he has or how useful he can be, I am not going towards that. It was like you sent Ravindra ahead of Ajinkya, the person thinks why it has been done," Jadeja said during a discussion on Sony Sports.

The BCCI recently announced India's 15-man squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup, which is due to be played between October and November, and along with that, BCCI Secretary announced Dhoni's appointment as Team India's mentor for the ICC event.

India, who have not won the T20 World Cup trophy since their title win in the inaugural edition in 2007, are set to kickstart their campaign this time against arch-rivals Pakistan on Oct. 24.

"I am surprised. There is no fan bigger than me of MS Dhoni. I believe MS Dhoni was the first captain who made the next captain before leaving or they used to always keep changing whenever they wanted," added Jadeja, who represented India from 1992 to 2000.

After giving up limited-overs captaincy in 2017, Dhoni played under Virat Kohli's leadership for more than two years. Dhoni was extremely helpful with his suggestions and ideas to the new captain during the said term.

"When you made and left and that player has taken that team to a different level, there is a coach who has taken the team to World No.1, what happened overnight that a mentor was required? That thinking is surprising me a little," said Jadeja, before adding Kohli and Dhoni have different style of captaincy.

"The Indian cricket I am seeing is working in a different way. Dhoni used to run it one way, he used to play the spinners, he never used to play four fast bowlers. What happened for Indian cricket in England was the doing of four pacers. One person thinks one way, the other thinks some other way, probably it is an attempt to merge the two," the former cricketer further explained.

Dhoni, who led India to three ICC trophies – T20 World Cup 2007, Cricket World Cup 2011 and Champions Trophy 2013, announced international retirement last year in August.

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