Dhoni the greatest server to Indian cricket : Kapil Dev

“I don’t have to say anything about Dhoni. I think he has served the country very well and we must respect him,” Kapil said. MS has come under criticism in recent times for decline in his much touted power-hitting abilities.

New Delhi : Former India captain Kapil Dev has hailed MS Dhoni as one of the greatest serving cricketers that the country has produced. He added that the wicketkeeper-batsman remains among the biggest contributors to the sport.

With everyone holding different opinions on Dhoni and his inclusion in the team even with youngsters like Rishabh Pant in the fray, Dev believes it should be left up to the veteran to decide when to retire. MS has come under criticism in recent few years for decline in his much touted power-hitting abilities.

Kapil Dev with 1983 WC

“I don’t have to say anything about Dhoni. I think he has served the country very well and we must respect him,” he said. “No one knows how long he wants to play and how long his body can continue to take the workload,” added Haryana Hurricane.

“But, there is no other cricketer who has served the country so well as Dhoni. We should respect him and wish him good luck. I hope that he wins this World Cup too,” added the 1983 world cup holder.

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With the World Cup set to commence on May 30, Kapil Dev, the 1983 World Cup winning captain, understands how difficult it will be for Virat Kohli’s boys to replicate that feat. But also praised the team and wished them luck.

Dhoni with 2011 WC

“This Indian team looks very good. However, it won’t be very easy. They have to play like a team. I hope that they will be injury free. If they have a stroke of luck, they will definitely win,” he said.

Commenting on the selected world cup squad, Dev said, “The selectors have done their job. Let’s respect the team. They have picked Karthik over Pant, then it’s alright. We should just believe that the selectors have done a good job.”

India will play their first game at the ICC World Cup 2019 against South Africa on June 5.