India skipper Virat Kohli on Thursday put his weight behind under-fire Mahendra Singh Dhoni, describing him as a legend of the game whose keen understanding and experience has held the team in good stead.
Dhoni faced criticism for his failure to rotate the strike against Afghanistan spinners and even against the West Indies, the former India skipper initially found the going tough before he got 16 in the final over to finish on 56 off 61 deliveries and take India to 268 for seven.
"Dhoni knows exactly what he wants to do in the middle. When he has an off day here and there, everyone starts talking. We always back him. He has won us so many games," Kohli said after India dismissed West Indies for 143 in 34.2 overs to notch up a 125-run win here.
"The best thing about having someone like him is when you need those 15-20 runs, he knows exactly how to get them. His experience, 8 out of 10 times has come good for us.
"We have quite a few players who play instinctive cricket and follow their game plans. He's such a keen understanding of the game. Always sends us feedback, that you know 260 is a good score. He's a legend of the game. We all know that."
"I look to play in my own way, happy to take the ones and twos which I think is a big factor in ODI cricket. Two difficult pitches, I'm happy with my contribution and look forward to doing more of the same in the future."
"I don't need to tell anything to my batsmen, they have to adjust according to their strengths and weaknesses and play according to the pitch."
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