MS Dhoni at no. 4 was just class, says Rohit Sharma

Rohit Sharma said that the team would be better off now if MS Dhoni batted freely. (Source: PTI)

Rohit Sharma indicated that fans might see MS Dhoni batting more often at no 4 in T20Is. In the presentation ceremony that followed India’s 93-run win over Sri Lanka in the first T20 at Cuttack, Rohit commended the veteran wicketkeeper-batsman and Manish Pandey for the finish they provided to the innings. “Great finish to our innings by MS and Pandey,” said the Indian captain, “Pandey hasn’t had much game time in the middle, so to come out and bat like that is good. And MSD, he’s just class. No. 4 really paid off. He’s played so many games for us, won so many games for us and moving forward, we feel making him bat at No. 4 is ideal. That allows Manish and Dinesh (Karthik) to finish games off.”

Rohit said that the team would be better off now if MS Dhoni batted freely. “For a long period of time, MS has been finishing games off, but we want him to bat freely now, without that pressure,” said Rohit. Dhoni’s place in the Indian team had come under a question mark after he failed to get going in recent innings. But, on Wednesday, Dhoni and Pandey took India out of a sticky situation and helped them post 180/3 in Cuttack. Dhoni himself scored 39 off 22 balls, hitting four fours and one six that came off the last ball of the Indian innings.

Rohit also hailed the efforts of KL Rahul in the opening slot. Rahul scored his second T20I half century. “It was a great move, for KL to start with at the top, was not part of the ODI squad, but he came here and showed he belonged. Batted magnificently.”

But the match was decided once again by Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav. The two took six wickets between the themselves as Sri Lanka bundled out for a paltry 87. “They have always been our wicket-taking options in the middle. They understand what the team expects and they come out and deliver. No words can describe how good they have been for us. The fast bowlers as well, Jaydev playing his first game after a long time, taking an early wicket. Bumrah and Pandya keeping things tight. Conditions weren’t easy and they did very very well”