Explained | MS Dhoni, the Non-Captain? What is the concept of non-captain in cricket everyone talking about?

In a significant development, a former Indian cricketer has coined an idea of appointing a world-cup winning captain as non-captain of the Team India in T20 format. Ever since Team India got knocked out of the T20 World Cup 2022, in a very familiar manner by England (10-wicket loss) in the semi-final, suggestions for an overhaul in the squad and team management have started pouring in from all quarters.

As many have opined, sacking of veterans from the T20 squad, few have once again looked towards a man who has not just earned love and respect but also three ICC trophies. MS Dhoni is immortal for Indian cricket as BCCI, and fans still seek salvation in him. 

Atul Wassan, a former Indian pacer has asked for MS Dhoni’s inclusion as non-captain in the team. Dhoni had the most illustrious career as Indian captain, and using the prefix ‘non’ ahead of the title might not go well with his fans, but it seems like that is the only option we have until Dhoni does Shahid Afridi, which is equally unlikely.  

Non-captain, who? 

The concept of having a non-captain is quite familiar in Tennis, but it is yet to get the backing of experts in cricket. Ideally, the ‘non-captain’ refers to the guy who is not part of the playing XI but sits at the dugout with an authority of a captain. He/she can make important decisions for a team during the match. 

Experts view:

In one of the reports published in TOI, then Punjab Kings skipper Adam Gilchrist (IPL 2012) claimed that the theory of non-captain might not work in cricket, as players can’t look towards the dugout for every decision. 

“It is a very interesting idea, but I don’t think there is a guarantee of it working well in cricket. I feel the game still needs an on-field leader who can direct the team and make decisions on the spot. He can certainly have inputs from the sidelines, but crucial decisions have to be made on the spur of the moment. One can’t be looking around for directions,” Gilchrist.

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MS Dhoni, the Saviour

Beloved Thala had a habit of winning trophies for the nation. He always scored when the team needed it, took the right decision when expected of him, and led the squad to heights beyond any imagination. Despite handing over the baton to Virat Kohli, Dhoni was the first-man millions of Indian cricket fans looked towards for taking the right call. Though not the captain, Dhoni was the perfect non-captain for the team. 

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He was called to mentor the side during T20 World Cup 2021, and once again, when Indian teams feel battered by World Cup thrashing, BCCI is reportedly considering MS Dhoni as ‘Director of Cricket’ with Team India in the T20 format. As the drought for ICC trophies continues, our old habit of relying on MS Dhoni continues. I Hope Thala continues to surprise us. 

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