Coach Rajkumar Sharma bats for Dhoni as India coach.
With the deadline for India head coach applications over, discussions are rife over potential successors to Rahul Dravid. While reports suggest Gautam Gambhir is the frontrunner, Virat Kohli’s childhood coach Rajkumar Sharma has a different view.
Stating Indians should helm the role, Sharma said MS Dhoni can be an excellent choice if he retires from playing. With two World Cup trophies as captain, Dhoni’s experience and respect in the dressing room will hold him in good stead, he felt.
The coach highlighted that Dhoni led a star-studded team with stability. The CSK CEO has indicated that the legendary captain may continue playing. While not officially retired, the IPL 2024 was seen as Dhoni’s swansong by many.
Contrasting views emerged from former pacer Atul Wasan, who feels the coach’s role in T20s should be replaced by a mentor and format specialist. Citing cricket’s governing countries, Wasan called for focusing on coaching tasks alone rather than taking credit or blame for results.
Dravid’s tenure ends after the upcoming T20 World Cup. With the BCCI assessing applications privately, speculation is rife on who succeeds the former captain in shaping India’s fortunes. Dhoni’s name has sparked fresh debate in coaching candidatures.
