Team India have taken a lead of 2-0 in the ongoing five-match ODI series against New Zealand.
India's Mahendra Singh Dhoni. (Photo: AFP)
Veteran Indian pacer Zaheer Khan has backed former skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni to play a major role in the upcoming International Cricket Council (ICC) World Cup 2019. ICC WC2019 is scheduled to be held in the United Kingdom from May 30.
Heaping praises on Dhoni, Zaheer said the Ranchi wicket-keeper batsman would play a vital role for Team India as pressure played a massive part in such big tournaments.
“Dhoni is not just bringing his game to the table. Pressure plays a big part at the World Cup and he has vast experience; we can see how active he is behind the wicket as well, sharing inputs with the captain,” Zaheer was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.
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Dhoni has looked a completely different player in 2019 after a horrendous form in 2018. The 37-year-old was the difference between India and Australia in the recently concluded three-match One day International (ODI) series Down Under, which Men-in-Blue won 2-1. Dhoni was also named the Man of the series despite not winning a single Man of the Match award for his consistent performance.
Dhoni scored 193 runs in three ODIs at a brilliant average of 193.00 as the Aussies dismissed him only once throughout the series.
Meanwhile, Dhoni has been ruled out of the third ODI match against New Zealand due to a hamstring injury.
Interestingly, this is also the only third time in Dhoni’s career that he is missing out a match with an injury. The last time, when the wicket-keeper batsman was not included in Team India’s playing XI due to injury, was in 2013. Dhoni had then missed three ODIs due to a hamstring injury in a tri-series in the West Indies.
The first time when the 37-year-old missed out was 12 years ago when Dhoni was out of two ODIs against Ireland and South Africa in Belfast in 2007 due to viral fever.
Team India have taken a lead of 2-0 in the ongoing five-match ODI series against New Zealand.
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