YUVRAJ & DHONI: THE MEN WHO TOOK INDIAN CRICKET TO NEW HEIGHTS

Although Yuvraj made his debut in 2000, it wasn’t until Dhoni settled into his role in the lower-middle order that India found two great finishers...

- RENIN WILBEN

Former Pakistan paceman Shoaib Akhtar recently lauded retired Indian batsman Yuvraj Singh and ex-skipper MS Dhoni for being the match-winners that resulted in a turnaround in Indian cricket. He further pointed out that India are struggling to win ICC tournaments as they lack genuine finishers like Yuvraj and Dhoni. “Of course, they (Virat Kohli-led India) should win ICC events and they have to. This team, when the top four score, they win more often than not. But if they don’t, then it is an issue. Another thing I noticed is that you need a match-winner like Yuvraj (Singh) or Dhoni in the middle-order,” Akhtar was quoted as saying in a PTI report. If we analyze Indian cricket team’s performance in the light of Akhtar’s statement, one can conclude that he has hit the nail on the head, especially when it comes to limited-overs contests.

WHO BEFORE YUVRAJ-DHONI?