A few former India players, including VVS Laxman and Ajit Agarkar, recently raised questions about Dhoni's T20I future, creating quite a storm in the country's cricketing circles.
"People should look back at their career before commenting on Dhoni. The captain has a lot of cricket left in him and it is the duty of the team to back the legend," Shastri said.
Shastri was having a look at the bat autographed by the 2011 World Cup winning Indian team at the Fanattic Sports Museum.
"There is no one better than Dhoni on the field given his ability behind the wicket and with the bat and his presence of mind and sharpness on the field."
Shastri lauded the players' athleticism and said: "In terms of fielding this team is the very best in the world at the moment and that's something that separates this team from Indian teams of the past."
India will take on Sri Lanka in three Tests beginning with the Eden five-dayer on November 16, and this will be Shastri's first home Test series.
Hardik Pandya has been rested for the series and Shastri said: "This team is not about one particular individual, we lose together, we win together."
Earlier, accompanied by bowling coach Bharat Arun, Shastri spent about two hours admiring the Fanattic Sports Museum curated and set up by sports historian Boria Majumdar.
While taking a stance with Sir Donald Bradman's bat from 1948, the former all-rounder said: "The quality of wood is such you can still play a few shots with it."
Picking Bolt and Mohammed Ali as two of his personal favourites, Shastri said: "Every Indian cricketer should make a trip to the museum and enjoy the collection."
Arun, too, was impressed and said: "I would love youngsters training at the NCA to come to a place like this and absorb in cricket history.
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
