All eyes on Dhoni
Facing the toughest phase of his cricketing life, an underfire Mahendra Singh Dhoni will seek to change the fortunes of a dispirited Indian team when the hosts take on an unbeaten South Africa in the second one-dayer here on Wednesday.
India lost two Twenty20 Internationals before suffering a close five-run defeat in the first ODI.
With critics gunning for his head, Dhoni finds himself in very challenging situation. The year 2015 has not been a particularly happy one for Dhoni after the semi-final loss in the World Cup.
The humiliation in Bangladesh in the ODI series and the T20Is against Proteas proved to be yet another no-contest. His own form has been patchy and 'Dhoni the batsman' evidently does not strike fear in the hearts of bowlers anymore.
It seems Dhoni, the ultimate finisher, has been lost somewhere. In the first ODI in Kanpur the Indian skipper answer his critics as he faltered in the botched chase.
With India needing 11 runs off the last over, the stage was set for Dhoni to finish off, but 'Captain Cool' seemed to have lost his big-hitting skills and turned more into an accumulator.
With the World T20 not too far away, time seems to be running out for Dhoni, the man once considered indispensable in limited overs formats.
Come tomorrow, the spotlight solely would be on Dhoni and his leadership skills and the remaining four matches of the ODI series will definitely be a test of character for the Indian captain.
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