It is very often you see during a cricket match that team India is playing and needs 20-30 runs of the last two overs with 4-5 wickets down. And then comes captain cool- Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who comes in with total calm maintaining his composure and you hear the commentators saying, "And Dhoni finishes off in style" hitting massive six or a boundary to take his team over the finishing line. But on Monday, India's one of the most reliable opening batsman Gautam Gambhir has a different opinion altogether.
In his opinion, swashbuckling batsman Virat Kohli is the best finisher than Dhoni and feels that the young dynamic batsman deserves the tag of being the team's finisher.
"It's a tag given by the media. Virat is a finisher for me. An opener can also be your finisher. It's not necessary that a finisher would be your number 6 or 7 batsman," Gambhir said her at the 'Aaj Tak Salaam Cricket' conclave.
On Sunday, India won the Asia Cup beating host Bangladesh by five wickets in a rain-interrupted match and the play being reduced to 15-overs a side. With 19 runs needing off the last two overs and two wickets down, it was Dhoni who walked onto the pitch instead of Yuvraj Singh, to finish the game in five balls hitting two massive sixes and a boundary to give his team a record sixth Asia Cup title.
On Monday, Gambhir went on to state that Dhoni should be clear about where he wants to bat in the order.
"We have heard him saying that he wants to bat up the order. He has to decide where he wants to bat. What is better for him," he said. He also said that a captain is only as good as the team he leads.
"If only good captaincy wins you World Cups, we would have won more World Cups. We have won only three. A captain can only plan, but the other 10 players have to go out and execute," he further added.
Having said this, Virat Kohli on Monday said that according to him, it is his skipper Dhoni who is the best finisher of the game.
"I think Shikhar (Dhawan) played himself in really nicely. My only aim was to keep going at the other end so that the run-rate doesn't stop. I had to understand my role. Once Shikhar got towards the end of his innings, I hit two or three boundaries which released pressure for us.
"Then MS Dhoni came in and did what he does best. He is the best finisher in the world. All in all, it was a wonderful game," Kohli said.
The Mega event of the cricketing world- WorldT20 is set to commence from tomorrow and the Men in Blue are tagged as favourites to win the title with their first match is on 15th March against a powerful side New Zealand which will be led by Kane Williamson.
Speaking of the World T20, Gambhir said New Zealand will be a tough team to beat even without the recently-retired Brendon McCullum.
He also said that playing Australia was actually a bigger challenge than competing against Pakistan even though the clash between the two Asian neighbours is more hyped. "If you beat Australia in a knockout match, it is likely that you will win the World Cup. Playing them is tougher than playing Pakistan."
It will be important for India that their batsmen - Yuvraj Singh, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan - don't lose their fine touch with the bat.
"Yuvi and Kohli have to be at their best form." On to his own approach to the game, Gambhir said he likes to maintain a calm demeanor but would not shy away from a showdown should the need arise.
Gambhir, who played a crucial role in India's victory in the 2011 World Cup, said his views were different from those teammates who said they wanted to win the trophy for Sachin Tendulkar.
"Playing for country itself is a big motivation. Country is much bigger than any individual," he said and the crowd gave Gambhir a big round of applause with some of them giving standing ovation.
He also said it was difficult to be out of the World Cup team in 2015. "It was tough to watch it on TV and not defending. But I live in present. When I play Ranji, I want Delhi to win, when I play for KKR, I want my side to win."
‘MSD should bat at No.4’
Dhoni batted at number four against Bangladesh in Asia Cup final on Sunday night and ended the match in a jiffy with a flurry of boundaries. Seeing his destructive form, India's former opener Virender Sehwag feels that it is best that Mahendra Singh Dhoni should bat at No.4 and feels that captain cool has lot of time left in his career and can lead the team in 2019 World Cup in England.
"If he bats at number four, it is good for the team. He can play fast bowlers and spinners with equal and knows when to slow down or accelerate. I have been saying it since 2015 World Cup. I am not saying that he won't get out at that number but he can win more matches for India," Sehwag said.
Dhoni, 34, has been facing questions on his retirement in the last few months, following a dip in form but the Indian captain has made it clear that he has no such plans.
Sehwag said Dhoni must lead the side at least till 2019 50-over World Cup in England.
"Dhoni can play for 2-3 years. Similar questions were asked in 2011 about Sachin Tendulkar but it (retirement) never happened. Dhoni can play till 2019 World Cup. He does not play Tests and he can manage his fitness," the explosive batsman, who retired recently, opined.
‘Never felt unsafe in India'
Already a two-member team of Pakistani officials T20 match to be played between India and Pakistan in Dharamsala on March 19. The Pakistani team, headed by Director Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Usman Anwar and comprising Pakistan Cricket Board official Ajam Khan, crossed over to India via the land transit route of Attari-Wagah border of Punjab.
Speaking at the conclave, former Pakistan captain Inzamam ul Haq said they have never felt unsafe in India. "I believe there are no security concerns. The players also enjoy playing in India. In our 2005 tour here, people treated us so nicely. No one took money when we shopped or ate out."
"Cricketing series between India and Pakistan should happen…It will be good for cricketing ties between the two nations and it will also help in normalize relations between the two nations. People of both countries want cricket should happen between the two teams, they love the players and love to watch the match.
Therefore the matches should happen," Inzamam said. He refused to comment on former Pakistan captain Imran Khan that Pakistan should not play T20 world cup match with India in Dharamsala, "There is no security threat to Pakistan team…There has never been security issues, so cricket should happen," he asserted.
Both the captains remembered Virender Sehwag as India's most flamboyant opener who used to make bowlers and captains of his rival teams. Recalling India's success in Pakistan tour in 2004 as one of greatest moments in Indian cricket, Sourav Ganguly said Sehwag played a key role in it. Ganguly also narrated camaraderie between Indian and Pakistani players and recalled how Inzamam brought two cricket bats for his from Sealkot on special request.
Both Sourav and Inzamam said current Indian team was one of the most formidable and strong cricket team. While Sourav said exposure to all cricketing formats was helping in building a strong India team, Inzamam said Pakistani cricket was lagging behind as there was no domestic matches happening and that exposure of young Pakistani players in all formats of cricket was minimal which was affecting growth and development of his country's cricket.
Inzamam said he would love to play senior cricket league once his commitment towards Afghanistan cricket team gets over where he is helping as a coach. He said he was ready to help Pakistan cricket with his experience.
On Indo-Pak T20 match scheduled for March 19, Inzamam and Sourav agreed that India was favourite to win, though former Pakistan captain said his team can also win his some key players perform well on that day. He said cricketing in Pakistan was suffering due to two main factors — lack of domestic cricket and no T20 exposure. He said T20 league has just started in Pakistan that will help his country build a strong team.
Ganguly also recalled the good time he spent in the 2004 tour of Pakistan. "That was one of the best tours. The hospitality was amazing. We want more tours like that," Ganguly said.