An edited version of this piece was published on ESPNcricinfo here.
Given that he's the most celebrated cricketer India has had (with the possible exception of Tendulkar), feels a bit strange to say that Dhoni's under-rated but I feel compelled to say that he's not given due credit for his achievements as a Test match wicketkeeper-batsman. Partly, I think its his excellence as an ODI cricketer (second highest batting average amongst all players with 4000+runs) that overshadows his achievements in the Test arena. And partly the fact that he looks somewhat ungainly (both as a keeper and a batsman), and for some unfathomable reason most people have the view that great Test match players need to be elegant/graceful. The recent Test match thrashings meted out to his team in England and Australia have given more fodder to his bashers to begin the "Oh but he can't play Test cricket" refrain.
I say, bullshit. Ultimately, there is one currency alone that matters and that is performance on the field and the numbers you rack up/results you deliver. So lets have a look at the stats. Starting off small-scale, there isn't a shred of doubt that Dhoni's been India's best Test match keeper batsmen ever (and he's not finished yet). He has the highest number of dismissals already and at a rate (dismissals/innings) higher than anyone else who's played at least 10 games with only Dinesh Karthik coming close. Also (again for keepers who've played at least 10 matches), his batting average is higher than his closest rival (Budhi Kunderan) by over four runs per innings. And he needs to play only 22 matches more to go past Kirmani's longevity mark as the most tenured Indian stump-man. Going further afield, if you look at top wicket-keepers of all time, Dhoni ranks 9th in terms of overall dismissals and 14th if you look at dismissals/innings (for players who've kept in more than 30 matches). Hugely respectable already, and he's definitely got the opportunity to climb up both metrics (though the latter is probably a bit suspect and more dependent on the chances your bowlers create given that Kamran "can't-catch" Akmal ranks second on that list). Turning to batting, his average is the sixth highest of all time (again for players who've kept in more than 30 matches) and ahead of men like Alec Stewart, and Brendon McCullum who've played as specialist batsmen at times. Not bad for someone who is considered chiefly a limited overs cricketer in sub-continental conditions.
And all of this is not even looking at the fact that he's captained the side in 37 of his 67 matches and has a win-loss ratio that's the best ever for an Indian captain and the eleventh-best ever for all captains (who've led their side in 35+ games). This without a bowling attack even half as good as that which any of the ten men above him had at their disposal. Heck, he didn't even have Srinath and Kumble (unlike Ganguly who had at least the latter for much of his reign) who are probably India's best modern day pace and spin bowler.
So give the man his due and stop branding him an ODI/T20 champion only. He's as good at the Test match stuff and just needs better support from his team (especially the bowlers) to keep proving it.
p.s.: For those who say he can't score runs in pace-friendly conditions, he averages 39 in England and 31 in South Africa and (a certainly below-par) 19 in Australia. So some ground to make up but nothing disastrous in the least.
Given that he's the most celebrated cricketer India has had (with the possible exception of Tendulkar), feels a bit strange to say that Dhoni's under-rated but I feel compelled to say that he's not given due credit for his achievements as a Test match wicketkeeper-batsman. Partly, I think its his excellence as an ODI cricketer (second highest batting average amongst all players with 4000+runs) that overshadows his achievements in the Test arena. And partly the fact that he looks somewhat ungainly (both as a keeper and a batsman), and for some unfathomable reason most people have the view that great Test match players need to be elegant/graceful. The recent Test match thrashings meted out to his team in England and Australia have given more fodder to his bashers to begin the "Oh but he can't play Test cricket" refrain.
I say, bullshit. Ultimately, there is one currency alone that matters and that is performance on the field and the numbers you rack up/results you deliver. So lets have a look at the stats. Starting off small-scale, there isn't a shred of doubt that Dhoni's been India's best Test match keeper batsmen ever (and he's not finished yet). He has the highest number of dismissals already and at a rate (dismissals/innings) higher than anyone else who's played at least 10 games with only Dinesh Karthik coming close. Also (again for keepers who've played at least 10 matches), his batting average is higher than his closest rival (Budhi Kunderan) by over four runs per innings. And he needs to play only 22 matches more to go past Kirmani's longevity mark as the most tenured Indian stump-man. Going further afield, if you look at top wicket-keepers of all time, Dhoni ranks 9th in terms of overall dismissals and 14th if you look at dismissals/innings (for players who've kept in more than 30 matches). Hugely respectable already, and he's definitely got the opportunity to climb up both metrics (though the latter is probably a bit suspect and more dependent on the chances your bowlers create given that Kamran "can't-catch" Akmal ranks second on that list). Turning to batting, his average is the sixth highest of all time (again for players who've kept in more than 30 matches) and ahead of men like Alec Stewart, and Brendon McCullum who've played as specialist batsmen at times. Not bad for someone who is considered chiefly a limited overs cricketer in sub-continental conditions.
And all of this is not even looking at the fact that he's captained the side in 37 of his 67 matches and has a win-loss ratio that's the best ever for an Indian captain and the eleventh-best ever for all captains (who've led their side in 35+ games). This without a bowling attack even half as good as that which any of the ten men above him had at their disposal. Heck, he didn't even have Srinath and Kumble (unlike Ganguly who had at least the latter for much of his reign) who are probably India's best modern day pace and spin bowler.
So give the man his due and stop branding him an ODI/T20 champion only. He's as good at the Test match stuff and just needs better support from his team (especially the bowlers) to keep proving it.
p.s.: For those who say he can't score runs in pace-friendly conditions, he averages 39 in England and 31 in South Africa and (a certainly below-par) 19 in Australia. So some ground to make up but nothing disastrous in the least.
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