Chennai: Former Indian wicket-keeper Syed Kirmani heaped praise on the way Virat Kohli’s team has bounced back from the Test series defeat, saying that they have shown their real potential in the ODI series.
“Before they (the team) could get acclimatised to the conditions in South Africa, they lost the Test series. They however, bounced back well and showed their capabilities in the ODIs and won it,” Kirmani said.
“It was a great comeback by the team to show their real potential and talent and win the one-day series,” he added further.
After losing the Test series 2-1, Kohli and co bounced back in grand style, thrashing the hosts 5-1 in the six-match ODI series, recording their first-ever bilateral series in South Africa.
He also said that it was not fair to criticize Mahendra Singh Dhoni for his wicket-keeping technique, highlighting the importance of results that the former skipper has shown.
Recently, Dhoni created a world record in India’s win over South Africa in the first T20I where he reached the milestone of having taken 134 catches in 275 T20Is, breaking Sri Lankan great Kumar Sangakkara’s record.
“It is all about results. Those who are criticising Dhoni about his keeping and batting are not aware that he has produced results everywhere.
“That is the trend these days, we don’t want technique, but we want results,” he said.
Kirmani also praised the way Dhoni has been leading the side in the past.
“He has taken the country to the top in all the formats, led from the front. Also, he has been a great ambassador for the country and has all the credentials of a great leader. So why talk about his technique, when he has produced results,” said the 68-year-old.
A veteran of 88 Tests and 49 ODIs, Kirmani, a former Karnataka wicket-keeper also added that the very concept of specialist wicket-keepers has lost its relevance in modern-day cricket, especially in the limited overs’ formats.
“Since the inception of ODIs, the emphasis has been on the inclusion of a batsman who can keep wickets, so that another all-rounder can be included in the team. Rahul (Dravid) donned the role of keeper till the 2003 World Cup. This is continuing all over the world now. Specialist keeper is no longer the norm,” he said.
A key member of India’s 1983 World Cup winning campaign, Kirmani said that there’s isn’t a shortage of quality wicket-keepers in India, naming Wriddhiman Saha, Dinesh Karthik, Parthiv Patel and Naman Ojha as the ones who are ahead of the others at the moment.
“Saha, Karthik, Parthiv, Naman Ojha are there. They are all equally good. Whoever shows consistency and delivers gets the opportunity. They could be rotated depending on that,” he said.
Kirmani also added that there are the likes of Sanju Samson and Rishabh Pant, who too are good and can provide solid competition to the others.