Former Australia opener Adam Gilchrist has backed Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who is under fire for India’s below-par performance in oversees series off-late.
Gilchrist, who was a fearless batsman during his playing days, insisted that Dhoni is a strong leader for Team India and impressed him when he burst into the scene.
“I have been extremely impressed with him right from the moment he came on to the scene,” Gilchrist said. “His calmness is quite an extraordinary characteristic.”
“Although the recent results may not have gone his way, he is clearly a strong leader,” he added. “He will know when the time is right to relinquish any of his duties.”
India are to tour Australia for playing four Test matches and a tri-series, before defending their title Down Under. Gilchrist is hopeful that the Indian team will manage to put its recent woes behind in whites against Australia.
“India showed signs in England, of getting it right and then it sort of crumbled around them,” southpaw said. “I am talking about Test cricket. Even Australians are impressive at home but not so great abroad at the moment.”
“I am sure the Indian team would have already addressed what went wrong in England, so I see no reason why their batting line-up wouldn’t be successful in Australian condition.”
