M.S. Dhoni draws flak again

Visakhapatnam:  The famous debate has been reignited. After Australia eked out a thrilling last-ball win over India in the first T20 on Sunday, M.S. Dhoni once again drew flak for his slow strike-rate.

Dhoni managed 29 off 37 balls in India’s below-par 126 for 7 on a track where the ball was not coming onto the bat. Dhoni’s strike-rate of 78.37 is the second lowest by an Indian batsman in an international T20 innings of at least 35 balls.

To be fair to Dhoni, a clutch of wickets fell and he also had to stem the rot with Yuzvendra Chahal at the other end. But the veteran is facing the bulk of social-media trolling with many of them suggesting it’s time for him to go.

Australia’s Glenn Maxwell, however, feels that on a low and slow track, that was all the former India captain could have done.

“It (the slow strike rate) was probably fair enough. With the way the wicket was behaving, it was difficult to score for any batter, let alone a guy who is not known for his power-hitting in Chahal,” Maxwell said in Dhoni’s defence as his analogy of Chahal’s pyrotechnics invited a few chuckles.

It was such a track where deliveries were keeping low and Dhoni could manage only one six. “MS is obviously a world-class finisher and even he was finding it hard to hit the middle of the bat. So, I think it was right of him to try and farm the strike. He hit a six in the last over and I think that showed how difficult it was,” Maxwell said.

He lauded his bowlers for keeping Dhoni under tight leash. “If you are holding MS to one boundary in the last few overs, it’s a pretty good effort and also a sign of the conditions as well.”

Maxwell also said Jasprit Bumrah and Krunal Pandya were toughest to face in such conditions.