Saba Karim Explains How MS Dhoni Redefined The Role of Wicketkeepers in India

It was Dhoni who was a match-winner and changed the outlook towards wicketkeepers.

Kolkata: India had many wicketkeepers before MS Dhoni and a few after him, but he was different in more ways than one. Former India wicketkeeper Saba Karim, who has seen Dhoni grow from close quarters, reckons the ex-India captain redefined the role of wicketkeeper-batsmen in the country. Up until the, the role of the wicketkeeper was to be sharp behind the stumps and chip in moderately with the bat. But, it was Dhoni who was a match-winner and he changed the outlook towards wicketkeepers.

“From an Indian perspective, he has had a massive impact. After MS Dhoni came in, the Indians started feeling that they have found a match-winner. With all due respect, before Dhoni India did not have a wicketkeeper who was a match-winner as well. And he was a match-winner not only in white-ball but red-ball cricket as well. When Gilchrist started succeeding for Australia, India always thought we should also have someone like him and Dhoni proved to be the one,” he said on Khelneeti podcast.

Saba Karim also reckoned that Rishabh Pant would soon be consistent in all three formats. He said on Pant: “He needs to achieve a lot. But in Test cricket, he is constantly improving and is adding a lot of value to the team. I feel he will soon be a complete player across formats, which will be very good for India.”