Former Australian wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist has said that MS Dhoni is a crucial member of the current Indian team, which is being led by "passionate" Virat Kohli.
The 45-year-old, who won three World Cup titles, also added that India are getting benefitted more than they realise from Dhoni's presence in the dressing room.
A lot has been said about the healthy on-field relationship between Dhoni and Kohli, especially after the former stepped down as India's limited-overs captain earlier this year.
Also read: Ashish Nehra probably spent more time with physio than his wife, says Sourav Ganguly
Be it the final call on DRS decisions or bowling changes and field placements in crunch situations, Dhoni is always there to help the captain of the side. Kohli, who is among the top fielders in the side, also has the liberty to field from near the boundary ropes in the end overs despite being the skipper as he can trust his wicketkeeper to marshal the troops in such situations.
Gilchrist heaped praise on Dhoni, saying the former India captain has the ability to add flexibility to the team as the latter is open to changes in the batting order. The Australia great also said that the 36-year-old wicketkeeper "will make the right decision" when it comes to retirement.
ICE and FIRE
"I love Virat and the young Indian players, and all their passion. But it's always nice to be balanced with some experience. I wonder if people are undervaluing that experience and calmness [of Dhoni]," Gilchrist said, as quoted by "Hindustan Times".
"He [Dhoni] is so versatile that he could possibly play anywhere between No. 3 and No. 7 and have an impact. I don't see any evidence that he is letting the team down. I think they [India] probably benefit more than they realise by him just being around."
"He has always carried out his duty for his country without any issue. I don't know if there is someone in the wings who adds more value to the Indian team than MS. In the next two years, anything can happen. I think MS will make the right decision when the time comes," he added.
Gilchrist loves Kohli's aggression, but....
Gilchrist also warned youngsters across the world against imitating Kohli's aggression. The Australian legend said it is alright to not be as aggressive as the Indian captain and still be on his team. He added that "false bravado" will definitely let an individual down.
"Aggression should come from within. Usually, your personality says a lot about the way you play your game. Virat is a passionate, energetic and determined person. Clearly, his batting shows that. It reflects even in his leadership and his desire to achieve success," Gilchrist said.
"If I were on his team, I wouldn't be identical to him on the field. You have got to do whatever comes naturally to you and what you believe in.If it's a false bravado, at some stage it will let you down. You will get caught because you will be pretending so much that you'll forget to play the game of cricket," he added.
