Mahendra Singh Dhoni

Mumbai: In the legendary Bob Taylor’s opinion, Mahendra Singh Dhoni needs to “concentrate harder,” particularly in hot and humid conditions as at the Wankhede in the ongoing Test.

Taylor, who is hosting a group of fans for Sporting Traveler, told The Telegraph: “No wicketkeeper can be taught how to concentrate... That comes with experience? So, Dhoni has to learn and improve...” He himself played 57 Tests (174 victims) and 27 ODIs (32 victims).

Speaking on Tuesday afternoon, after Dhoni failed to stump England captain Andrew Flintoff, Taylor added: “Dhoni, of course, is a fine cricketer and is bound to get better as time goes by... He should concentrate by assuming he has to collect every ball... That the batsman won’t hit even one delivery...”

Incidentally, Taylor is opposed to wicketkeepers wearing helmets when they stand up to the slower bowlers. “The helmet is heavy and, instead of concentrating, they are probably more concerned about the weight on their heads... They must back themselves to not miss anything...”

Taylor, it may be recalled, made headlines during the Jubilee Test here 26 years ago when Gundappa Viswanath called him back after Hanumantha Rao had given him out caught behind off Kapil Dev. That proved costly, but Vishy is still saluted for that “great gesture of sportsmanship.”