On Wednesday, BCCI announced the Indian Team for the T20 World Cup. There were many surprises in the squad for the event, which will start on October 17th. The upcoming competition will be held in UAE and Oman. MS Dhoni will act as the mentor of the squad. In this article, we take a look at the role of a mentor in a cricket team.
Role of a mentor in a cricket team
Unlike a Coach, a Mentor is someone who guides the team member to a goal. More than the tactics, a mentor helps the players from the motivational point of view. He/she also aides players in applying the skills which they have developed in the training. A mentor’s experience in the game is usually what helps him/her to be justified in the role. Of course, wherever applicable, a mentor could pitch in with a few tactics or strategies. The likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Anil Kumble have all served in this role before.
What will MSD bring to the table?
MS Dhoni won all three ICC events as the captain of the team. He was the first skipper to win an ICC T20 World Cup and he did that despite not having much experience in the role. Over the years, MSD has also been a terrific cricketer and all of this would have been possible due to his exceptional commitment and determination.
For an Indian squad that is fairly young, MSD’s presence in the dressing room will be a big boost. They can learn from him and his experiences. Dhoni is also a tactical genius, and even this would be of use to the management. Not to forget, Dhoni is still an active cricketer and will surely help the likes of Pant and Kishan to hone their wicket-keeping skills in the training. And for Virat Kohli, Dhoni’s inputs would be invaluable as the tournament would be played under tremendous pressure.
