Former Indian captain MS Dhoni has opened up on a commentary stint, highlighting why he avoids the job after his international retirement. Former cricketers take up the microphone to call out the game they have played for years and lend their thoughts on how the next generation is playing the game they loved.
From Sunil Gavaskar, Ravi Shastri, to modern cricketers Dinesh Karthik and Cheteshwar Pujara, several former cricketers give the job a go and go on to have a successful second innings after their retirements. MS Dhoni, however, is different.
The former skipper, who is still active in the Indian Premier League, likes staying away from the limelight when he is not playing. He opened up on his thoughts of a commentary stint, stating that the job is "difficult" for him as he is "not good with stats".
"Commentary is very difficult. I feel there is a very fine line between describing the game and, in that process, getting into a zone where you start criticising individuals who are playing the game. It's a very thin line," Dhoni told sports broadcaster Jatin Sapru during a YouTube interaction.
"Often, you don't even feel that what you are doing may be borderline wrong. You would always like to be on the other side, where you are describing the game. If you feel something is wrong, you say it out.
"But how to put it, that is also an art, how to politely put it forward where nobody feels targeted. If the team is losing, there are reasons behind it, and you need to have the skill of describing those reasons without anybody feeling bad. That is the art of commentary," he said.
Dhoni stated that he is not good at stats and does not remember his own numbers from the game. "I'm not good with stats. But there are a lot of people who are very good with stats. They know stats. If you ask me about my stats, I'll be like hmmm, and there are certain people who know stats about not just the Indian cricket team or the Indian players but everyone throughout the era," he said.
Dhoni backs Rohit, Kohli to play ODI World Cup 2027
Meanwhile, the 2011 World Cup-winning captain was asked a much-talked-about thing going around in the cricketing community, whether stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli should play the ODI World Cup 2027 or not. "Sorry, what's the question?" he quipped at first when the debate surrounding the possibility of Rohit (38) and Kohli (37) playing the 2027 ODI World Cup was brought up during the nearly half-hour interaction.
But he quickly took a more serious tone and asked, "Why not? Why should not play the World Cup? For me, age is not a criteria, performance, fitness these are criteria. I always feel nobody should be told anything. But things should be clear that everyone will be treated the same way.
"When I made my debut I was 24, nobody told me anything and now when I am playing for India for 10 years, 20 years or whatever, nobody needs to come and tell me about my age," he asserted.
He stressed on the need of having experience in the team for tournaments like these. "Whether Rohit or Virat or other names that will come up in next five years. Whether they can or cannot play the next World Cup, it's not for us to decide, it's for them to decide. If they keep playing well, if they have the urge to do well for the country, then why not," he said.
"You can't get experienced people. You can't get a 20-year-old who is experienced unless it's a Sachin Tendulkar! You know you get experience at that age only if you start playing when you're 16 or 17."
