Can’t have split captaincy: Dhoni

Pune: Former India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who stepped down as captain of India XI in the limited overs version of the game on January 4, said he was of the belief that split captaincy would never work in Indian cricket. "In my mind the last series was the South African series in India. After that it’s pretty easy to judge why I went to Zimbabwe and all of that and because of all that finally I told BCCI officially that I won’t be captaining anymore.

‘I’m somebody who believes, in our scenario, split captaincy is something that doesn’t really work. It’s not something that I had a view upon right now, it’s something I always believed in, that with the Indian team one captainship (sic), one player leading the team in all the formats is very crucial. Virat was always ready to take over. I thought it was the right time to give Virat the job,” Dhoni said, addressing his first press conference on Friday since stepping down.

When asked about the timing of his decision, Dhoni asserted that did not make any sense for him to continue till the Champions Trophy as it would only add to his numbers as captain and not serve the team's cause. "It made no sense for me to continue. People even questioned me when I quit midway through the Test series in Australia. Sometimes you need to look at the bigger picture. I knew Saha was ready and he deserved a chance.

Similarly, Virat is well placed to take over the limited overs captaincy,” Dhoni said. “I was waiting for right time, was aiting for Virat to ease in into the Test format," he said. "Limited overs captaincy is not a big challenge and Virat is ready for it now. Limited over captaincy is not a big challenge and this was the time I finally decided, it was the time to move on and give Virat the full captainship," he added.

On his relationship with captain Virat Kohli, Dhoni said: "Virat and I have always been close. Virat always wants to contribute. Virat always wanted to improve and that is why he is so successful. Will share my inputs with Virat. Virat has the clarity to refuse advice. "With so many games I feel Virat is right there. It is the right time," he said about his successor. Dhoni also backs Kohli to lead India to more success than he ever did.

The swashbuckling right-handed batsman, who is well known for his calm and composed character, said he doesn't regret anything in his life. "I don't regret anything in life. What does not kill you makes you stronger. Overall, it has been a journey for me right from when I started. Overall it was a journey that I really enjoyed, it brings smile on my face irrespective of whether it was a tough or good period," he said.