One of the biggest legends in the sport of cricket is MS Dhoni. The ex-Indian captain has won almost everything with the Indian team as well as the Chennai Super Kings franchise. However, Dhoni is not young anymore. At 36, he is slowly winding up his international career and will be missed dearly. Once he leaves, it will be hard to replace his big boots. Here are five people who have the chance to possible do so:
Rishabh Pant:
The Delhi teenager is one of the best prospects for the Indian squad and is similar to Dhoni in terms of the way he approaches his batting. Flamboyant and powerful, Pant also has excellent temperament and talent to be a starter for the Indian squad. He is also a wicket-keeper with good reflexes and skill and the Indian selectors will certainly be looking at him as a possible replacement once MSD calls it a day.
Sanju Samson:
The Kerala player is another one whose name has been thrown into the mix when it comes to replacing Dhoni. He too, possesses the power to hit the big shots while being safe behind the stumps. Still young, Samson has a long way to go before becoming a regular starter for the team. He is on the right path however and once he works on bettering his technique he will be able to make a better claim and make it to the squad.
Ishan Kishan:
The Gujarat Lions batsman hails from the same state as Dhoni and had a fabulous Ranji season to back him up. Finishing with 799 runs for the state in the tournament, Kishan is still only 18 years of age but he can certainly pack a punch. If the selectors are looking for a long-term replacement for MS, then Kishan is surely one of the names they would have considered thanks to his attacking style of play and good reflexes and handling behind the stumps.
Parthiv Patel:
Despite being 31, Patel is enjoying a renaissance of sorts and managed to score an incredible century to give Gujara the Ranji trophy. Despite being an older statesman of sorts, he still has the experience to play in international cricket and the selectors could still yet consider his name if they wish to go for experience over youth while replacing MS Dhoni in the limited overs squad.
KL Rahul:
The 25-year old Karnataka batsman has made a name for himself in the international stage, having scored centuries across all formats and becoming only the third Indian to do so. He has on occassion, also donned the gloves and it will be interesting to see if he can continue the same in the limited overs format as well. Rahul will be more important as a batsman to the squad but if he improves on his keeping technique, India could have a very special player in their hands.
By Rahul Nair
