5 Reasons why Mahendra Singh Dhoni might help India win the World Cup 2019

Not only the fans, but also the teams keenly wait for the World Cup to take place, and why not? It is the most prestigious title in the history of world cricket. Every team wants to win the World Cup and have an extra star on their jersey and make the people of their nation proud.

With the upcoming edition of the tournament just nine months away, teams have already started preparing for the marquee event. There will be key players for every team and for India, apart from Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni will also be the key player.

Here are the reasons why Dhoni might take India to the glory again:

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#1 Vast Experience

Australia v India - Game 3

There is no denying that MS Dhoni has a vast experience backing him, especially on the big stages such as the World Cup. The veteran currently has 14 years of international experience and has represented India in 3 ODI World Cups, leading in two of them.

Over these 14 years, MS Dhoni has braved each and every type of situations in the game. Having a player, who has played over 300 one day matches, is always a plus point for the team, especially in the World Cup.

Mahi has scored over 10,000 runs at an impressive average of 51 and a strike rate of 88. For a player who has played most of his cricket in the lower order, this record deserves an applause.

For India, the former captain cool will be an asset, thanks to his vast experience.

#2 Wicket-keeping Skills

3rd Momentum ODI: South Africa v India

Before the arrival of MS Dhoni, the Indian team always faced a problem in the wicket-keeping department as they were unable to find a quality wicketkeeper who could bat well too.

Dinesh Karthik and Parthiv Patel were given a lot of chances before Dhoni played his first match, but both of them performed below par. Dhoni has carved a niche for himself in the wicket-keeping department since then and has been irreplaceable.

Dhoni retired from Test cricket in 2014 and India are yet to find a replacement as good as him. He is the kind of wicket-keeper who can win the match for his team via his wicket-keeping alone. He is currently the best player behind the stumps and is one of the greatest of all time.

Having a keeper like MS Dhoni in the team is a significant advantage.

#3 Keeps His Wicket Intact

England v India - 2nd Vitality International T20

Time and again, Dhoni has bailed out the team from many hopeless situations. Last year, he saved India from an embarrassment against Sri Lanka. After being put in to bat first, India was seven down for just 29 runs. The veteran helped India reach a respectable total of 112, which was, however, not enough to win the match.

Back in 2012 against Pakistan, India was five down for 29 and was set for a low score before MS Dhoni stepped in to score a century and help the team to cross the 200-run mark.

So, whenever India find themselves in a situation like this, they can always rely on Dhoni to score runs and help the team reach a good total.

#4 Captaincy Experience

England v India - 2nd ODI: Royal London One-Day Series

Mahendra Singh Dhoni has led India for almost a decade and has led India in 9 ICC tournaments and has won 3 of them as a captain. He is also the only captain in the history of cricket to win all the ICC trophies as a captain.

Virat Kohli will lead India for the first time in a World Cup, but suffice to say that MS Dhoni will be the guiding light for Virat Kohli in his first ever World Cup as a captain. Even in the past, we have seen MS Dhoni help Virat Kohli make some captaincy decisions, and Virat Kohli too turns to him when the team is on the back foot.

Statistically, MS is the most successful Indian captain and is one of the most successful captains of all time. His captaincy experience will play a huge part in India's World Cup campaign.

#5 Finishing Skills

India v Sri Lanka - 2011 ICC World Cup Final

The veteran has been the finisher for the team for over a decade and has done a reasonably good job as a finisher. Many call him the best finisher in the world and they have stats to back that statement too.

Over the past few years, MS Dhoni is not the same finisher anymore, but he still is more than capable of clearing the ground. In the last ten overs, if the team needs to score 80-90 runs, Dhoni is the one who can do the bulk of scoring and take the team closer to the target.

Even if he starts off slowly, as he has been in the last few years, he makes up for it by scoring at a healthy strike rate at the back end of the innings. His finishing prowess might have deteriorated over the years, but one cannot merely discount him, especially at the backend of the innings.

Conclusion

For India to win the ODI World Cup for the 3rd time, MS Dhoni will have to play a vital role. His performance will be directly proportional to India's chances of lifting the World Cup next year and dominate the world cricket.