NEW DELHI: Standing in the first slip and observing Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s match-reading skills convinced Sachin Tendulkar that he was ready for India captaincy, something he told the BCCI when he was asked for his suggestion back in 2007.
Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid had decided to give juniors a chance in the inaugural ICC World T20 that year and BCCI had asked the maestro about who would be his choice for captaincy.
“I wouldn’t get into details how it happened but yes I did say when I was asked (by the senior BCCI people) as to what do I think,” Tendulkar recollected during an interview on the just-retired former India captain.
“I had mentioned that I won’t be going to SA as I was carrying a few injuries… But back then, I used to stand in the slip cordon and I used to interact with MS and understand what he was thinking, the field setting and I would discuss all those aspects.
“I observed his match reading and I came to a conclusion that he had a good cricketing brain so I suggested to the board that this is what I feel. MS should be the next one to take charge,” India’s greatest batsman recollected what transpired 13 summers back.
Tendulkar said he was impressed by Dhoni’s ability to convince anyone of his decisions.
“Whatever I was thinking and whatever he thought, we were more or less on the same page. If I have to convince you about something, I have to be on your page and that is exactly what happened with MS. We both were thinking alike and that’s why I suggested he should be the one.” (AGENCIES)
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