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MS Dhoni
Former Pakistani cricketer Kamran Akmal stated that India is successful because of the importance it has put into Test cricket. It has led to India’s success in international cricket over the years.
At present, the Indian team is the top-ranked side in Tests cricket according to ICC Test rankings. The men in blue are set to face New Zealand in the WTC final next month at Southampton.
Akmal pointed out that all Indian cricket legends from the 90s and 2000s retired after playing Test cricket. MS Dhoni was the only player who did not follow their footstep. The example set by the legends showed the importance India gives to red-ball cricket. It gives the world an idea of their vision and how they build a team and bring players into the setup. At present, India has more than 50 players at hand.
On the other hand, MS Dhoni retired from Test Cricket in the latter half of 2014 but that was not his last international game. His last international match was the 2019 World Cup Semi-final against New Zealand. Apart from him, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Rahul Dravid, and Sourav Ganguly retired after playing Test matches.
Indian players enter international cricket with at least 4-5 years of experience
Akmal also pointed out the strength of domestic cricket in India. The white-ball players play almost 50 games before entering Test cricket. It allows the player to mature before entering international red-ball tournaments.
Akmal also appreciated the efforts of former Indian Cricketers like Rahul Dravid and Anil Kumble for their contributions. They coach and mentor young players or achieve great success. They are helping the new generation to follow the right path. India has not changed their brand of cricket but they have elevated the existing standards. Rahul Dravid is also likely to coach the Indian side in the limited over series in Sri Lanka. The Indian team would play three ODIs and three T20Is in Sri Lanka. It would be a build-up match to the T20 World Cup. The World Cup is scheduled to be held later this year.