Twitter/@sirjadeja
Former Indian wicketkeeper batter MS Dhoni is the notable omission in the India all-time T20 eleven announced by the Wisden. India started playing the game’s shortest format in 2006. The Wisden list included veterans Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, and Ashish Nehra. Virender Sehwag is the 12th man. Meanwhile, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Suryakumar Yadav also feature in the team.
Throwback to India's win against Pakistan in 2007 World T20 Final, the day MS Dhoni and Co lifted the trophy.
Will be 2022 be the year India win it again?
— The Field (@thefield_in) October 6, 2022
ICC
Advertisement
The wicketkeeper slot went to Dinesh Karthik. As per Wisden, Karthik was picked over Dhoni for his recent comeback to the Indian team. The players in the team include Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Hardik Pandya, Suryakumar Yadav, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Dinesh Karthik, R Ashwin, Bhubaneswar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah and Ashish Nehra.
Many cricket fans wondered how the Indian legend was unnamed in the squad. Wisden did not mention the captain of the team, which is a key reason MSD missed out. However, Dhoni’s T20 career did not look great in numbers, which could also be another reason. But his wicket-keeping skills are second to none in India.
How did MS Dhoni miss the cut?
Former Indian captain MS Dhoni has a fantastic record as skipper of the Indian team. He led the team to a memorable T20 World Cup triumph in 2007. MS also captained Chennai Super Kings four times to win the IPL. He has been a regular feature in the Indian team. This was before the selectors rested and dropped him from the shorter format, to groom Rishabh Pant as the T20 batter.
Wisden picks it's all time India Men's T20 XI!
And look who's in there! Keeping all of India's keeper apart, it's the one and only @DineshKarthik #DineshKarthik#Wisden #RohitSharma pic.twitter.com/KESsUxMhBz— DKFANFOREVER (@DKFANFOREVER) October 12, 2022
Advertisement
Dhoni played 98 T20Is in his career. He batted at number seven and had limited time to occupy at the crease. Most of the time, he handled the finisher role. Dhoni scored 1617 runs at an average of 37 runs. Interestingly, his highest score in T20Is is 56, and his strike rate is a mediocre 126.7 in the shorter format. However, Dhoni was an integral part of team eleven in his playing days. His strategies and cameos were useful to the team, which boasted a packed batting unit.
Is Dinesh Karthik better in T20Is?
Dinesh Karthik was etched in the memories of cricket fans after an 8-Ball cameo in the final of the Nidahas Trophy in 2019. He scored an unbeaten 29 to guide India into a title win. Interestingly, Karthik too scored his first half-century very late in his career, in 2022, 16 years after making his debut for Team India in T20Is.
The Dinesh Karthik carnage tonight. pic.twitter.com/IjBmsBrAqM
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) October 4, 2022
Karthik was also the top scorer in India’s first-ever T20I match, playing against South Africa. The 37-year-old veteran has played 56 games for the country so far. He has done well in recent times, as the finisher.
Missing #MSDhoni's Keeping#INDvsSL #RishabhPant #Bhuvi #Captaincy #dineshkarthik #KLRahul #TeamIndia #Goodbye pic.twitter.com/9oqByXHTWy
— Masthi Movie (@MasthiMovie123) September 6, 2022
MS Dhoni would not mind missing the cut, as he often said rankings and ratings are subjective to criteria. Meanwhile, Karthik aims to play the finisher role to perfection as India kick-starts their ICC T20 World Cup 2022 campaign on October 23, against Pakistan.
Advertisement
