… Anshuman Gaekwad feels giving the Test captaincy to Virender  Sehwag could be a relief for Dhoni; Madan Lal says Sachin should be made next skipper
MAIL TODAY – In the aftermath of India’s debacle in Australia a public outcry and call for heads, as MS Dhoni’s role as captain is under scrutiny, is only to be expected. And India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni was bound to be on top of the list of all those who are desperate for some stringent action after what have been eight deplorable and shameful defeats.
It was just a matter of time before Dhoni’s captaincy came under the scanner and sure enough, reports have surfaced that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is contemplating splitting the captaincy between Virender Sehwag for the Test matches and Dhoni for ODIs and T20s.
Whether or not such a move is afoot, the basic idea of having two captains, especially after Dhoni made it clear in Australia that he doesn’t see himself lasting in all three formats for long, might not be the worst move, according to former India coaches Anshuman Gaekwad and Madan Lal.
“Looking from Dhoni’s point of view, he could be relieved. Handling three formats of the game, on top of wicket-keeping day in and day out, he has done it all. It (being relieved of Test captaincy) could be a blessing in disguise,” Gaekwad told MAIL TODAY on Sunday.
“However, to blame him for the debacles in England and Australia would be unfair on Dhoni. After every defeat, we have a tendency to blame the captain and the coach.
What were the rest of the players doing? When Dhoni talked about his future plans on the eve of the Perth Test, he was just speaking out. People accuse him of losing interest, but I think he is simply feeling helpless after such performances.”
For Madan, it was high time the heavy workload on Dhoni was reduced. “Dhoni should be relieved of the Test captaincy. He has done so well across all formats and over the years.
“If you take the burden of Test captaincy away from him, he might get recharged and perform well. However, I would never remove him from the Test arena as I feel he is still a match-winner at No. 7,” he told MAIL TODAY.
Interestingly, Madan didn’t feel Sehwag was the best option for Test captaincy.
According to the former all-rounder, Sachin Tendulkar should be handed the reins, till the day he decides to hang up his boots, to rebuild the team.
“What has Sehwag done as a captain? If you want to make a new captain, don’t just put anyone in that place. Viru has batted very well in Test cricket but that doesn’t mean he is Test captaincy material.
“I feel Sachin should be given the task of rebuilding the team. Even if he wishes to play for 6-10 months, I would want him to give something back to Indian cricket in the form of 2-3 ready youngsters,” Madan opined.
With the transition phase about to set in, Gaekwad said that since India would be playing in the subcontinent for nearly two years, the youngsters could be gradually brought in.
However, Madan warned that this transition phase would take a long time. “It will take at least 3-4 years to resurrect the team. This was the best team we have had and they lost so badly. It will take a long time,” he said.