Azharuddin

Dharamsala: Former India captain Mohammed Azharuddin feels that current skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni lacks “a bit of intelligence” when it comes to leading the side in Test cricket and there should be different captains for three formats of the game.

“He (Dhoni) has always been a very good captain in ODIs and Twenty20s but in Test cricket, he lacks a bit of intelligence. May be when it comes to taking instant on-field decisions,” Azhar, who was here to play a friendly T20 match between India and UK parliamentarians, said.

“So, I feel that he is very much suited for ODIs and T20s but certainly not for Test matches. I honestly believe that there should be three different captains for three formats,” he said.

“He is a very good player. Maybe, when he doesn’t have captaincy pressure on him, he might play differently. I think, it’s very hard for anyone to say whether he is able to justify his place in the Test team or not, but since he is a captain, you have to respect that.”

Asked about the Test series whitewashes against England and Australia respectively, he said, “Lack of confidence and lack of preparation were the key reasons. We did badly because the ball swung a lot in those conditions.”

The Hyderabadi, who used to be famous for hi stylish batting, feels that Rohit Sharma should be an ideal replacement for Rahul Dravid in the Test team.

“Rohit Sharma should play,” was Azhar’s answer to the query. “He (Rohit) is a talented cricketer and should be given a chance to play in all formats. Another good player is Virat Kohli but he is already playing which is a big bonus.”

According to Azhar, Sachin Tendulkar deserves to be conferred with the Bharat Ratna, but he wants hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand to be the first sportsperson to be bestowed with the country’s top civilian honour.

“Sachin should be conferred with Bharat Ratna honour. But hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand should be the first sportsperson to be conferred the award,” Azhar said. (Agencies)