5 reasons why MS Dhoni should continue playing till the 2019 World Cup

He’s 35. He has lost his touch. He is not the best anymore.While an assault of brickbats is always in the offing when he falters, there is no denying his unmatched prowess to turn the match around at will, when he is on song. He’s been India’s most successful captain, and he has never followed convention. There are few who come close to having left as massive as an imprint, and as lasting a legacy, in one decade as Mahendra Singh Dhoni has for Indian cricket.

Here are five reasons why he should continue till the 2019 World Cup:

No keeper ready to replace him

Dhoni was never supremely athletic behind the sticks- he’s a solid stumper who grabs almost certainly everything that comes his way, without diving around too much. His stumpings, however, are still top-notch, as is his movement behind the wicket. He is still one of the top keepers in the country, with the experience of manning the stumps across nations.

At 19, Rishabh Pant can smack the cricket ball like few others his age. He’s clearly been earmarked to replace Dhoni, but he’s too precocious a talent to lose to impulsive selection. Despite his clean hitting ( he sits and sweeps pacers for sixes), Pant still needs to be tested properly before he makes his foray into international cricket.

Composure for big tournaments

‘The best finisher’, as he has been heralded, time and again, has the unmatched ability to slow the game down and bend it according to his need. He can then unleash the pyrotechnics when the water is going over the neck. Dhoni seems to have supreme confidence in oneself to finish the match on the winning side, and he has done that time and again in the past.

Although the Midas touch has been on the slide in the last one year, it’ll be foolish to brush him when one talks of finishing matches. With no captaincy to care about, Dhoni might well pull up his socks and turn back the clock on his batting. As a keeper, he can help maintain sanity in the middle, even in the toughest of times.

Guiding light for Virat Kohli

Dhoni has been around for quite a while, much longer than most players in the current team. With Yuvraj for company, Dhoni can bring stability in the middle order, having being accustomed to conditions all around the world.

He’s got ten years of captaincy behind him, with numerous titles in his bag, exactly the kind of experience a young team needs going into a big tournament. He is one of the most street-smart cricketers and knows what needs to be done when, always coming up with plans to take the game away from the opposition. Also, he’ll be the ideal cushion for Virat Kohli. Although the 28-year old has proved that he is an unquestioned select as captain, he still hasn’t headed the team in any major tournament. Dhoni can be the guide for Kohli’s on-field plans when it comes to the upcoming Champions Trophy, as well as the World T20 in 2018.

Still fit to carry on

He’s 35, but still runs faster than most of the youngest lot, as was evident during his run-out of Mustafizur Rahman against Bangladesh in the World T20 last year. As a batsman, he relies on the singles and doubles in the middle overs, covering the pitch swiftly and always assessing the possibility of getting an extra run.

Even though he’ll be pushing 38 when he the World Cup another shot, you can be sure that Dhoni will still be in at par with a majority of players as far as fitness is a parameter. Also, Dhoni’s technique doesn’t really rely on feet movement, a characteristic that invariably slows down as a batsman ages. He’s been unconventional throughout his career, and will end being one even when his career ends.

Last shot at unprecedented glory

While there might be fears of ruining his own legacy and devaluing his 2011 World Cup win if he falters, it should also be kept in mind that Dhoni has been spot on with his retirement and resignation calls, leaving the team at the right time.

Someone who has always had plans up his sleeve, Dhoni surely knows how he’ll benefit the team if he is planning to stay till 2019. The man has given the nation all the top ICC trophies, has been a double IPL winner, apart from the countless other titles over the course of the last ten years. As an astute elder statesman and a big match player, he could be the key to India’s quest for the ultimate glory in cricket.