KOLKATA: Chennai Super Kings skipper MS Dhoni's form in the ongoing Indian Premier League has seen critics pull him up. But former India skipper and current BCCI President Sourav Ganguly has backed Dhoni and said that it needs game time for even the best to return to form.
"In the current situation, it will take some time for him to get back to his old touch. He played a cricket match after about one year and six months. It's not easy however good you are. It will take some time," Ganguly said during a media interaction after being named brand ambassador of the Bengal Peerless group.
The BCCI President once again spoke of the need to have someone like Dhoni bat higher up in the order.
"When Dhoni was in prime form and was the captain, then I was in broadcast and had said that he should bat at number four," he said.
Dhoni himself has also pointed out how it is about warming up and getting into the groove after the coronavirus-induced break saw athletes spending close to six months indoors.
Speaking after the game against Rajasthan Royals, he said the 14-day quarantine in UAE also didn't help as there was less training time.
"I haven't batted for a long time. 14-day quarantine doesn't help," he said when asked why he batted lower down the order against RR.
CSK was the last team to begin training as the side finally returned to the field after completing their quarantine period as a couple of players and support staff members had tested positive for coronavirus after landing in Dubai.
There have also been suggestions that the England series will see the resumption of cricket in India and Ganguly also admitted that the idea is to move the action back to the country by ensuring that bio-bubbles are created to keep players safe and away from the coronavirus threat.
"We will try to make this happen on Indian grounds (series against England). The advantage in UAE is they have three stadiums (Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Dubai). We also have the same facility in Mumbai -- CCI, Wankhede and DY Patil.
"We also have Eden Gardens. We have to create a bubble. We want to hold our cricket in India, that's where the game is, that's where the heart is. But we are monitoring the COVID situation," Ganguly said.