Mumbai: What exactly went wrong in the Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led Indian Cricket Team’s series loss against the proverbial minnows of the sport Bangladesh, is still left unknown. Speculations were rife after Virat Kohli’s coach Raj Kumar Sharma pointed out that India’s swashbuckling batsman was unable to deliver his best due to ‘mental pressure’ and moreover because of the ‘dressing room environment was not conducive.’
The situation turned tense when reportedly, Kohli, in a television interview shocked all where he revealed Team India took a few doubtful decisions. Now in a recent development, India’s newly appointed Test skipper’s coach has cleared the air dismissing rumours of a possible rift in the team.
“Let me say it emphatically and categorically that Dhoni is the best captain India has ever produced. Virat has been lucky to be his deputy in the last couple of years. He has learned a lot from Dhoni,” Sharma was quoted as saying, according to a report in ‘Sportskeeda’.
“Dhoni is like an elder brother to Virat. They are extremely fond of each other. These media reports alleging rift in the team are completely untrue. There is no rift in the team and the atmosphere in the team is quite healthy. These rumours have surfaced because of a series defeat against Bangladesh,” Sharma added.
Also squashing rumours of any conflict within the dressing room was former India captain Sourav Ganguly. “You get to hear all these when a team loses and has not played to their potential. I believe there is no conflict within the team, all of these things have been made up,” Ganguly said in a report.
Other members from the team such as Suresh Raina and Ravichandran Ashwin backed Dhoni. Expressing disappointment over India’s performance, Ganguly credited Bangladesh for outplaying India. “It is disappointing (the result). But Bangladesh have played brilliant cricket, credit should be given to them,” he said.
Even though the scheduled tour of the Indian team to Zimbabwe next month is yet to be officially confirmed, the national selectors have been told by the BCCI to pick the team in Delhi on June 29.
