5 reasons why MS Dhoni should not bat at No. 7

No longer the finisher that he once was

Dhoni's finishing prowess in on the decline

For more than a decade now, MS Dhoni has been the finisher extraordinaire, India’s pride and the envy of the rest of the cricketing world. With five or 10 overs to go and an asking rate of around 10, there would often be a sense of relief when fans saw Dhoni stride in.

Not tension or doubt but sheer relief because you could bank on Dhoni to get the job done. That’s how consistent and remarkable Dhoni has been at the death. The number of matches he has won at the death for India are countless.

But the last few years have clearly witnessed a sharp decline in his finishing prowess. On quite a few occasions, Dhoni has struggled to finish off matches for the side. Moreover, he looks at home when he has time on his hands to expertly play himself in.

It is true that Dhoni has long given up being an out-and-out stroke-maker and taken on the role of a smart grafter. He is more comfortable in amassing runs by nudging balls and hitting the occasional big shot.

It is time for India to realise that Dhoni is no longer a good finisher. But he is still one of the best batsmen in the team which is why an evolved role higher up the order would suit him better.