Credit: X
India's most successful captain, MS Dhoni, has grown into one of the most loved figures in the country. Be it his razor-sharp instincts on the pitch, witty dry humour remarks off it or his humility, Dhoni is often considered someone to have no haters.
But alongside all these loving and heartwarming fans, Captain Cool has always had a few harsh critics, who called out MS Dhoni for his shortcomings over his illustrious 20-year career.
3 cricketers who gave controversial statements around MS Dhoni
These comments around MS Dhoni grew ever since the 2011 World Cup winner announced his retirement from international cricket on August 15, 2020. Let's look at a few cricketers who made controversial statements about Dhoni.
Manoj Tiwary
The West Bengal batter, who recently announced his retirement from cricket, had a lot to get off his chest about MS Dhoni. Manoj Tiwary, after hanging his boots, questioned Dhoni for not giving him the opportunities he deserved in the Indian team.
Tiwary, speaking to the media, declared: "The captain of that team was MS Dhoni. I am asking you upfront. Yes, MS Dhoni was the captain. If I get the opportunity to ask the question, I will ask him why I was dropped from the team after scoring the century, especially in that tour of Australia where nobody was scoring runs, neither Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, nor Suresh Raina. I have nothing to lose now," he said.
Gautam Gambhir
One of the most outspoken cricketers, Gautam Gambhir, has garnered a reputation for making brazen and controversial comments about the cricket world. Similarly, the two-time World Cup winner called out MS Dhoni and the then-coach Duncan Fletcher for ensuring that he lost his vice-captaincy and his place in the team.
In a conversation with Lallantop, Gambhir, said, "If something was changed after the CB series it was the vice-captain. I was removed and Virat Kohli was made the vice-captain. In the history of India or any sport, has it happened even once when the vice-captain was removed but the captain was intact? You can confront me if I am wrong. Duncan Fletcher was the coach then. I asked him what was the reason behind that decision. He said it was the selectors' decision. I then asked him 'For what, then, did you go to the meeting?"
Yograj Singh
Former Indian pacer and father of 2011 World Cup Player of the Tournament Yuvraj Singh, Yograj Singh blamed MS Dhoni for India’s exit from the 2019 World Cup. Singh 2023 reshared the video of his comments on X, where he can be heard calling out the Indian captain for playing 40 per cent of his ability.
In an interview with Network 18, Yograj Singh said, "My blood is still boiling. Dhoni deliberately didn't bat well so that India lose to the Kiwis. He never wanted any other captain to lift the World Cup title for India. While Ravindra Jadeja, who was displaying great courage at one end and helping India get close to the total, Dhoni did not play to his ability. Had he (Dhoni) played 40 per cent of his ability, we could have won the match in the 48th over.”
