MS Dhoni will not let Indian cricket down

New Delhi, Oct 13: It is amusing to find former cricketers sitting in judgment on MS Dhoni's future in international cricket. Joining the discussion is a divided media which in any case thrives on controversies.

Does someone who quit Test cricket abruptly with 10 Tests shy of hundred Tests in the middle of a series need to be told that his playing days in all forms of cricket are over? Surely not, like most iconic cricketers before him, the decision to call it a day should be left to him. In the meanwhile, let him play the South Africa series without stress or anxiety.

At 34, he may not be looking at the next World Cup, but he will certainly be looking to lead the side in the World Twenty20 at home next year before taking a final call. Right now, he may be more worried about his recurring back problems than his temporary loss of form.

As statisticians pointed out, his loss of ODI form is similar to that of Sachin Tendulkar's Test slump a decade ago when people started writing his obits. Like Sachin's average of 40 plus at a particular stretch is seen as terrible loss of form because his career average was above 50.

Dhoni in 2015 is averaging around 39 as compared to his career average of 52, a statistic in the case of any other middle-order batsmen would be seen as reasonably good.