Dravid backs Dhoni to remain captain

Calcutta: Rahul Dravid has backed Mahendra Singh Dhoni to remain in the hot seat but felt the selectors can, in the near future, consider reducing the India skipper’s workload in one format to get the best out of him.

“From his own personal point of view, you also want to see the best of Dhoni as a player. He has a lot to contribute as a batsman and wicketkeeper and we want to see the best of that,” Dravid said.

“I don’t think we want to lose that and if that means at some stage, may be the time’s not right now, but in the near future, we have to relieve him of the responsibility from one format to get the best out of him as a player then I think the selectors have to take that call. His workload must be reduced,” he added.

Notwithstanding the eight Test defeats last year, Dravid said Dhoni should be given a chance to learn from those reverses.

“Dhoni has every right to survive it, because he’s Dhoni. He has had a disappointing last year but he has won India a World Cup, we’ve been the No. 1 Test side under Dhoni."

“If you put pressure on him so early in the piece, or if you try to change someone like Dhoni now, I don’t think you’ll get to see what he’s learned from the last year,” Dravid was quoted as saying by a website.

Dravid advised Dhoni that he should not just look forward to the upcoming series against England and Australia, but also start thinking about India’s overseas tours.

“He has got to have an eye on some of the challenges he faces in his career, to be seen as a good overseas captain as well. That will be a function of the team he gets, but he’s got to try and have an influence on the kind of team he gets, the kind of personnel he wants and that’s a process that he’s got to start now."

“It’s a process of communication and negotiation with selectors, coaches, working on some of the skill-sets of some of the bowlers and young batsmen coming through on what is required in a year’s time."

“So while he has a micro view of what needs to be done in these (home) series, he needs to discuss with the selectors about the kind of players he wants in South Africa and entrust them with the job of actually finding those players in domestic cricket,” Dravid said.

He also saw Virat Kohli as a future captain, provided he was able to extend the success he has had for another year.

“In the next 12 months, if he has the kind of 12 months he has had and establishes himself in all three formats of the game, people are going to seriously have to look at him.”