Ajay Jadeja 'Surprised' at MS Dhoni’s Appointment As Indian Team Mentor for T20 World Cup 2021, Asks, ‘What Happened Overnight That a Mentor Was Required?’

MS Dhoni's appointment as mentor of the Indian team has drawn a lot of praise from all corners. Indian cricket fans, in particular, have been overcome by nostalgia as the very thought of Dhoni once again donning the Indian jersey albeit in a different role, has just come true. BCCI secretary Jay Shah made this announcement that Dhoni has agreed to be join the Indian team as mentor for the T20 World Cup 2021 in Oman and UAE following the announcement of the national squad for the showpiece event. Well, not everyone is alright with this decision. Former cricketer Ajay Jadeja has revealed that he has found it difficult to understand why such a decision was made. ICC T20 World Cup 2021: Conflict of Interest Complaint Against MS Dhoni Frivolous and Motivated, Sets Dangerous Trend for Indian Cricket, Says BCCI Official

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"It is impossible for me to understand. I am thinking for two days about what could be the thinking. I am not talking of MS Dhoni, the understanding he has or how useful he can be, I am not going towards that. It was like you sent Ravindra ahead of Ajinkya, the person thinks why it has been done," he said to Sony Sports Network.

Questioning the need for a mentor in a team that has done well under the leadership of head coach Ravi Shastri and captain Virat Kohli, he further added, "I am surprised. There is no fan bigger than me of MS Dhoni. I believe MS Dhoni was the first captain who made the next captain before leaving or they used to always keep changing whenever they wanted. When you made and left and that player has taken that team to a different level, there is a coach who has taken the team to World No.1, what happened overnight that a mentor was required? That thinking is surprising me a little,” he stated. ICC T20 World Cup 2021: MS Dhoni’s Experience of Handling Pressure in Important Games Could Be Huge Advantage for Young Players, Says Gautam Gambhir

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He also spoke about the differences in approach in this current team from the one that played under the leadership of Dhoni. He said, “The Indian cricket I am seeing is working in a different way. Dhoni used to run it one way, he used to play the spinners, he never used to play four fast bowlers. What happened for Indian cricket in England was the doing of four pacers. One person thinks one way, the other thinks some other way, probably it is an attempt to merge the two."

Dhoni's appointment as mentor ensures that India now would have had him in their ranks in all the T20 World Cups that have happened so far. This time, the role would be different but the Indian team under Kohli would aim to learn from Dhoni and use his experience to win a ICC trophy, something that hasn't happened since 2013.