Former India all-rounder and national selector Mohinder Amarnath has cranked up the pressure on MS Dhoni by revealing that he was on the verge of being sacked as captain after the debacle in Australia.
Amarnath told an Indian television channel that top BCCI officials had blocked Dhoni’s sacking as Test captain after India’s 4-0 whitewash in Australia.
In the no-holds barred interview to TIMES NOW, Amarnath, who was sacked as selector despite being just one year in the job, came up with another startling revelation that the selectors wanted Dhoni out as ODI skipper too.
Amarnath, who was tipped to replace Krish Srikkanth as the chief selector before being unceremoniously booted out, revealed that the selectors wanted to appoint a young captain for the triangular series that followed but their decision was overruled by BCCI president N Srinivasan.
“The board president did not approve of the unanimous decision to replace Dhoni,” said Amarnath a member of India’s World Cup winning team in 1983.
“We selected the team for the triangular series, selected 17 players but we did not select the captain,” he said. “The captain was selected by somebody else.”
The veteran of 69 Tests and 74 ODIs lamented that he did not get a free hand during his tenure.
One of the big advocates of bringing in young blood in Team India, Amarnath said he and his colleagues were of the opinion that Virat Kohli should lead the ODI outfit.
“We were trying to look ahead. We wanted a young captain to come in, especially in the triangular series, so that we could go ahead and do something better in near future. I believe in fresh blood. I was looking forward to a guy like Kohli to take over as captain in ODIs. I think he is a fantastic player, he is the future,” he said.
Former India opener and captain Kris Srikkanth, who was the chairman of selectors in the panel that Amarnath was in, admitted that after the debacles in England and Australia, Dhoni’s captaincy was discussed.
“Yes, Dhoni and his captaincy were discussed. But as I have maintained for past four years, I won’t comment on the proceedings in those meetings,” he was quoted as saying in Times of India.
Dhoni is battling to save his captaincy as India trail 2-1 in the four-match series against England with the final Test underway in Nagpur on Thursday.
England are aiming for a first series win in India n 28 years.
Reports that veteran Sri Lanka batsman Mahela Jayawardene has announced that he would step down from the captaincy after the Australia series in favour of young Angelo Mathews would put more pressure on Dhoni to review his position.
Jayawardene is keeping to his word of taking over the job for a year after being recalled when Tillakaratne Dilshan was removed as captain.
“It’s been great, I’ve enjoyed the last year and what I’ve achieved but we need to move on to a younger leader,” said the 35-year old who led Sri Lanka to the 50-overs World Cup final in 2007.
Jayawardene has ensured a smooth transition to avoid the chaotic situation after both he Kumar Sangakkara stepped down from the leadership after their loss in the World Cup final final against India last year by nominating Angelo Mathews as his successor.
“Angelo is the one everyone has earmarked, and I think he is good enough,” said Jayawardene on the eve of the series against Australia.
Dhoni has resisted calls from critics calling for his head after India’s string of embarrassing defeats.
“The easiest thing for me to say right now is to say, ‘I quit captaincy’ and be a part of the side. But that’s like running away from the responsibility,” Dhoni said after the seven-wicket loss against England at the Eden Gardens in the third Test.
“The selectors are there to decide,” he quipped. “Of course there are others who will decide. There is BCCI and the administrative people who also want to look into that,” Dhoni said at the post-match press conference.
The Indian board would be eager to avoid having to force the issue and create controversy as New Zealand is going through after Ross Taylor was abruptly axed as captain in favor of Brendon McCullum.
It is unlikely that any drastic decision would be made by either Dhoni or the BCCI with a high-profile home series against Pakistan coming up later this month.
One gets the feeling that the Pakistan series would be a make or break one for not only Dhoni but also the swansong for India’s batting icon Sachin Tendulkar who is struggling to score runs.
