By Aakash Kumar

New Delhi, Jul 7 (IANS): Former BCCI chief selector Kiran More believes Mahendra Singh Dhoni always had the talent to reach the heights of success in international cricket and that's what the veteran wicketkeeper-batsman did when he got the opportunity of playing for Team India.

Dhoni, who made his debut in 2004 against Bangladesh, has been a remarkable servant of the Indian cricket. He has been a vital cog for Indian cricket ever since he made his entry on the international stage. Be it his brilliant glove work or his skillful batting, Dhoni has contributed in every way possible to take the Men in Blue to the pinnacle of the sport.

"He always had the talent. He had something special about him. And when you go out there and perform for the Indian team, you become a bigger star. That's what he did. He was given a platform to perform and he grabbed the opportunity with both hands," More told IANS as he wished Dhoni on his 39th birthday.

"He went on to become India's captain, won the T20 World Cup in 2007. And from there, his graph just went upwards. He went on to lead India in Tests as well. He then won the World Cup in 2011," he added.

Dhoni is the only international captain to have won an ICC 50-over World Cup, T20 World Cup and Champions Trophy. He even led India to the number one ranking in both Test and ODI formats.

When asked about one quality about Dhoni which attracts More the most, he said: "I think it's his way of playing cricket. He has been playing the same way since day one and has a good attitude of winning the matches. He's a team-man, as a person he is very humble and grounded. He keeps it very simple and is not at all a complicated person."

Asked if he feels like a proud father seeing Dhoni's achievements and contribution to Indian cricket, More said: "Yes, it feels nice sitting at home, thinking about what he has done for Indian cricket. It's outstanding. He has been very successful. When you are a selector, you always look for good cricketers. That's your job. And it's not only me who should take the entire credit, there were other people as well. You choose a cricketer and when he does well for the team and helps in winning matches, you do feel happy and proud."

Regarded as one of the most successful captains of the Indian team, Dhoni has been on a sabbatical ever since the semi-finals of the 2019 World Cup where India lost to New Zealand. Its been almost a year that he has been away from the cricket field, yet conversations about his return or future retirement have never died out in the time since and he still remains one of the most talked about cricketers in the present era.

The former Indian selector, however, feels that the decision of retirement should be left on Dhoni. "I think it should be left on M.S. Dhoni. We should respect what he wants to do."