Dhoni ready for Test captaincy : Kirsten

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Mahendra Singh Dhoni's leadership qualities got a thumbs up from India's cricket coach Gary Kirsten. More... Dhoni ready for Test captaincy, says Kirsten Agencies Posted online: Tuesday , September 02, 2008 at 2028 hrs IST Print EmailTo Editor New Delhi, September 2:: Mahendra Singh Dhoni's leadership qualities got a thumbs up from India's cricket coach Gary Kirsten who said the ODI skipper was now ready to take over the Test captaincy from Anil Kumble. "He (Dhoni) is ready for it (Test captaincy) but there is no need to rush as of now. Anil has done an exceptional job, he is a great leader and he is toiling in many overs for India. He is prepared to do 30 overs in a day. But he is on the other side of the physical side of the game.” "MSD is a great thinker. He has got fantastic skills in terms of understanding the situation. He is the best ODI batsman in the world. He plays every situation really well. He is a very good keeper as well," Kirsten told a TV channel. Asked about Yuvraj Singh's prolonged poor run of form, Kirsten said this break would help him to make a strong comeback. "You too go through that. They have an extended run of form, then confidence drops. They have a fear out there of going to bat. Sometimes the break does a world of good. They come back. I am hoping that this break does him a lot of good and that he can comeback really motivated and determined. We all want to see Yuvraj hitting the ball hard. He is as good as anyone," he said. While pointing out that a balance is important for the side, Kirsten also made it clear that the seniors players cannot sit on their past laurels and need to perform consistently. "We will have to discuss. Mixture is important. The important thing is that we are not rushing into making the right decision at the right time. Senior players in the Indian team are fully aware that they need to continue performing. It's not what you did three years ago but what you did a couple of months ago," the 40-year-old said. Having seen both the captains from close quarters, Kirsten said both Dhoni and Kumble differed in their strategies but were great leaders in their chosen format. "Their characters, their strategies are different. Their thinking is different but they both are exceptional cricketers and in different formats of the game they have proved their worth. They lead from the front and lead by examples. It's always good to have captains that are performing well, it makes a big difference to the morale of the team, to the energy and intensity of the game," he said. The South African also heaped praise for Dhoni's batting and his mental faculty which has made him the best ODI batsman in latest ICC ranking. "I am not surprised that he could do it because he is capable mentally. I think he has worked his heart out, how to win games batting in the middle period. It is fantastic to have him in the team," he said.

[Online]

I agree

[satishg]

i think his first assignment may be the England series later this year..Anil may call it quits if India does win the BG trophy and he wud want to end on a high note..so there is a realistic chance that v mite see MSD leading the test team in december

[fineleg]

why is sehwag not ahead in the queue for Test captaincy? (after Kumble)

[Dravid]

why is sehwag not ahead in the queue for Test captaincy? (after Kumble)

because wouldnt it be stupid to make one cap of tests and the other one a cap of odi's when they r both in both squads? sehwag will be vice captain..

[satishg]

why is sehwag not ahead in the queue for Test captaincy? (after Kumble)

because v already have an exceptional leader in Dhoni who has a proven record in ODIs..so y go for the untested wen there is a proven option in hand :dontknow:

[DadaRocks]

y didnt he said that after humilation in kitply cup & asia cup...:giggle:

[Online]

y didnt he said that after humilation in kitply cup & asia cup...:giggle:

:giggle::giggle: huzoor aap urdu mein hi likha kijiye

[bharat297]

As a captain, Dhoni is ready for Tests ... as a batsman, i am not so sure. Having said that, his ODI form has improved dramatically since he took over captaincy so who knows.

[Sachinism]

"Kumble must quit": Wasim Akram Wasim Akram, the former Pakistan captain, feels it is time for India's Test captain Anil Kumble to call it time on his Test career and hand over the reins to Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Akram, who is in the Indian capital to supervise a cricket camp for school kids, was reported saying, "I respect Anil for what he has achieved. He has done enough for India and I think it's time for him to take a bow at a time when he is still counted as one of the best." Kumble, India's leading wicket taker in both Test cricket and one-day internationals, was handed the reigns of the Indian Test team last year after Rahul Dravid decided to step down as captain. Earlier India coach Gary Kirsten said that current ODI captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni was ready to take over as captain of the Test team but said praised Kumble’s leadership skills at the same time. "He (Dhoni) is ready for it (Test captaincy), but there is no need to rush as of now. Anil has done an exceptional job, he is a great leader and he is toiling in many overs for India. He is prepared to do 30 overs in a day. But he is on the other side of the game.” Australia will defend the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against India starting October 9. Anil Kumble is expected to lead the hosts for the gruelling four-Test series. Wasim Akram’s comments are sure to create a stir in the Indian camp. There is already a lot of talk that aging Indian players may quit the sport after the home series against Australia. Such comments may very well persuade them to do so. http://www.cricketnirvana.com/news/international/2008/September/news-20080903-49.html

[jf1gp_1]

"I respect Anil for what he has achieved. He has done enough for India and I think it's time for him to take a bow at a time when he is still counted as one of the best."

how did the above translate to kumble MUST quit ?

[cowboysfan]

kumble shuold not quit the team but should hand over the captiancy to Dhoni.

[Feed]

Gary Kirsten has expressed his personal view regarding test captaincy: Vengsarkar ‘Don’t think it would be proper to speak on the leadership skills of either Kumble or Dhoni’ More... Gary Kirsten has expressed his personal view: Vengsarkar - ‘Don’t think it would be proper to speak on the leadership skills of either Kumble or Dhoni’ LOKENDRA PRATAP SAHI Kumble Calcutta: Team India coach Gary Kirsten’s comment that ODI and Twenty20 captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni was “ready” for the job at the Test level too hasn’t caused a storm, but has definitely created a ripple or two. A coach doesn’t have a role in the captain’s appointment, but he’s in an important position and could influence the people who matter. Greg Chappell, for example, did just that for much of his 23-month tenure. Kirsten’s profile, however, is pretty different. Getting back to what the coach said, chief selector Dilip Vengsarkar, for one, chose not to encourage what could become an issue of some debate. “Kirsten has expressed his personal view and I don’t wish to react,” Vengsarkar told The Telegraph. Speaking on Wednesday morning, he added: “As a matter of principle, I avoid saying anything on individuals… Also, being the selection committee chairman, I don’t think it would be proper to speak on the leadership skills of either Kumble or Dhoni…” Vengsarkar (a former India captain, by the way) pointed out that, in any case, the captain for the next Test series — a four-match affair at home, versus Australia — would be picked by the new selection committee. “Our term ends later this month… We won’t be appointing the captain for the series against Australia,” he stated. Dhoni While Dhoni is days away from completing 12 months as the ODI and Twenty20 captain, Kumble’s debut (in a full-fledged role) was in November last year. In fact, at one stage, after Sachin Tendulkar declined the captaincy, Dhoni had been favoured to lead in the Tests as well. However, Vengsarkar and Co. felt that the Test captain needed to be somebody with experience. Kumble, it may be noted, has completed 18 years of international cricket — his India debut had actually been only a few months after Sachin’s — and he’s been focusing on Tests alone from after the 2007 World Cup. The recent Test series in Sri Lanka didn’t go off well, but Kumble had been absolutely outstanding (on and off the field) during last season’s high-on-profile clash in Australia. We lost that series 1-2, but with some luck (and proper umpiring at the SCG, in particular), the result could even have been 2-1 in our favour. Dhoni, on the other hand, has registered memorable firsts in the shorter forms of the game. Not that it should be a factor in Test cricket, but Dhoni (27) is a good 10 years younger than Kumble.

[flamy]

Last series for Kumble me feels. The Farewell Series. Lol, we seem to have a lot of those when we play Aussies.

[flamy]

Wasim is honorary swadeshi?

[Fontaine]

Kumble clearly is not at his best and hasn't been for some time this year. Purely on bowling merit he doesn't deserve to be in a test match 11 unless it's a real turner.

[Chandan]

Kumble clearly is not at his best and hasn't been for some time this year. Purely on bowling merit he doesn't deserve to be in a test match 11 unless it's a real turner.

And may I know who do you have in mind who would perform better than "kumble not at his best" in this crucial series? And I am really irritated at these cricketers who go on giving statements without knowing the full detail. Who is Akram to say that Kumble must quit? Kumble has enough brain to decide it on his own. Obviously Kumble has achieved much more for his team statistically than Akram and is much more educated to know what is best for him and his team.

[PaiN_KiLLeR]

Who is Akram to say that Kumble must quit? Kumble has enough brain to decide it on his own. Obviously Kumble has achieved much more for his team statistically than Akram and is much more educated to know what is best for him and his team.

Akram is a commentator & he is well within his rights to give his opinion on where Kumble's career is headed.

[Willow_on_fire]

I personally feel wasim bhai is trying to fuel some 'rift' amongst Indian squad.

[Desi Cartman]

I was expecting him to say "Arun lal must quit" .