IPL 2017

Not sure if Dhoni is a good T20 player: Ganguly

by Cricbuzz Staff • Last updated on

Dhoni has made only 28 runs in three matches in the ongoing IPL. © BCCI

Former India captain Sourav Ganguly has raised questions over MS Dhoni's Twenty20 batting credentials, following a poor start to the IPL for the latter. Ganguly believes the 2011 World Cup-winning captain is exceptional in the 50-over format but reckons his record in T20s is not the best.

"I am not too sure if Dhoni is a good T20 player. He is a champion ODI player but when it comes to T20 cricket, in 10 years, he has got one fifty and that's not the best record," Ganguly told India Today.

While Dhoni's T20I numbers (one fifty in since debut in 2006) flatter to deceive, he has had consistent success in the IPL. Dhoni has amassed 16 half-centuries across nine seasons - scoring at least one in each of them.

The lead-up to the ongoing season of the IPL saw Rising Pune Supergiant make an unpopular move of replacing Dhoni with Steve Smith as captain. While Dhoni didn't make a fuss over that call and played along, his poor returns in the first three fixtures - 12 not out, 5 and 11 - have prompted Ganguly to make such a stern assessment. The 44-year-old however, stated that India's most successful captain should be considered for the upcoming Champions Trophy in England from June.

"I will pick Dhoni for the Champions Trophy but he has to score runs," Ganguly said.

© Cricbuzz

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