These losses have come against England, Australia, South Africa and even New Zealand. In the 23 Tests that he has captained overseas, he has lost 11, a loss rate of around 48 percent. Sourav Ganguly had a loss percentage of 35.71.
So, has the time come to strip Dhoni of Test captaincy and go for a split leadership? Pertinent question! Let's examine.
Analysts are calling him a defensive captain. The impression that is gaining credence is that he is waiting for things to happen rather than going for the jugular.
Take the example of Wellington, half the New Zealand side was back in the hut during their second innings for just 94 and the ball was just 37 overs old. The situation called for an all-out attack but Dhoni chose to spread the field. Brendon McCullum and BJ Watling easily settled in.
The field setting was either 6-3 or 7-2. Ravindra Jadeja kept bowling his innocuous left-arm spin, the fielders kept running to where the previous boundary had come from and the Kiwis ended up making 680.
At Lord's in 2011, Dhoni started the post-lunch session on Day Four with Suresh Raina, in the next Test at Trent Bridge, he let Stuart Broad and Tim Bresnan to stage a comeback, in Melbourne he got shy of attacking the Australia middle and lower-order despite being on the top, in Johannesburg he probably got scared of losing the Test, trying to contain Faf du Plessis and AB de Villiers. In the Durban Test, he didn't take the new ball for 146 overs. RP Singh's presence in the Oval Test, curiously, never got investigated.
Fatigue is a huge factor too. He had taken over as the full-time Test captain in November 2008 and in 13 months made India the No. 1 Test nation. Now those are distant memories.
At times, he appears in sleep mode. Ganguly has spoken about it after the third Test loss in Australia but Dhoni shot back saying, "For anybody else to judge how seriously I take something is difficult."
But fatigue remains a factor. Leading in Tests, ODIs, T20Is, IPL, Champions League is sure to be draining one mentally and physically. The prospect of dealing with so many personalities, situations, nationalities, controversies and media is bound to take a lot out of anyone. Dhoni cannot be an exception.
So who after him? Virat Kohli should be the front-runner. He seems to have put his finger-flinging days behind. He has Test tons in Australia, South Africa and now New Zealand. He has captained India to U-19 World Cup, he is young and moreover looks the man with the Midas-touch. Another name is Cheteshwar Pujara but he currently plays only in Test matches. In Pujara, the team will have a man who has all the time in the world to think about Tests and only Tests.
After the 4-0 loss in Australia, Dhoni said, "It (captaincy) doesn't belong to anyone. It's a position I hold, and it's an added responsibility. I always like to do well till I am in job but it's not something I want to stick to. If there is a better replacement, he can come in." Maybe time has come to find a better replacement.
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