Mahendra Singh Dhoni shot back at the media after questions over his fate as India’s captain sprung up against following a series defeat to Bangladesh on Sunday.
Left-arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman tore through the Indian batting order once again to help Bangladesh seal the three-match ODI series with a thumping six-wicket win in Dhaka. The win, which followed Thursday’s 79-run success, all but confirmed Bangladesh’s place in the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy.
And as Bangladesh continued to celebrate into the night, the Indian captain once again found himself in a familiar position: under fire from the media. But this time, the usual calm was missing from proceedings.
“I knew this question was coming. I know the media really loves me. These are the questions that will keep popping up,” Dhoni said when asked about his future plans.
“Yes, if it is a justifiable thing that if you remove me and Indian cricket will start doing really well, and if I am the reason for all the bad that is happening to Indian cricket, definitely I would love to step down and play as a player. Ultimately you want India to win. It doesn’t matter who is the captain.”
The 33-year-old, who led India to a World Twenty20 win in 2007 and also to its second World Cup triumph in 2011, said he never really craved for captaincy.
“I was never really in line to become a captain. It was a job or responsibility for me. I have taken that responsibility. It was given to me, I took it. If they want to take it away, I am happy to give it away.”
Bangladesh and India will meet in the final ODI on Wednesday.
