Dhoni continues to inspire: KL Rahul

Cuttack: There is no denying the fact that MS Dhoni is at the fag end of his career but opener K L Rahul said the former skipper is still a match-winner for India and continues to be an inspiration in the dressing room. Promoted to the no.4 position, Dhoni made an unbeaten 39 off 22 deliveries before affecting four dismissals behind the stumps to help India record a massive 93-run win over Sri Lanka in the first T20 International  on Wednesday.

Dhoni, thus, became the player with most dismissal in the shortest format of the game. With 201 dismissals in 272 matches, the former captain has become the second wicketkeeper after Kamran Akmal (207 in 211 matches) to complete 200 dismissals or more in T20Is. “I see him (Dhoni) as motivated in the dressing room as I always have. He’s somebody we look up to, he’s a match winner and he will always be one,” Rahul said.

“He is in great shape, and he almost killed me as soon as he came into bat,” he added with a smile referring to a brutal shot by Dhoni to get off the mark. After Rahul left the job unfinished getting out for 61, Dhoni played the finisher’s role to perfection with a 22-ball 39 not out with four boundaries and a six to lift India to 180 for 3.

The target was way too many for Sri Lanka as they slumped to sixth consecutive T20 defeat in their 100th appearance in the shortest format of the game. “I don’t know what form you are talking about but every time I switch on the TV, or play with him in the dressing room, he always seems to get runs,” Rahul said strongly.

Besides his good show with the bat, Dhoni also accounted for two catches and two stumpings to surpass AB de Villiers in the record for most dismissals in T20Is. Making a return after being dropped in the ODI series, Rahul top-scored for India to grab opportunity in the absence of regular opener Shikhar Dhawan.