Dhoni won't even be in my team: Ex-India star picks Imran Khan as Asia 11 captain

Former India opener Wasim Jaffer said he would pick Imran Khan as the captain and Sachin Tendulkar as the vice-captain for his preferred Asian Test 11. Asked about MS Dhoni, Jaffer said he wouldn’t keep the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) man in the 11, and would rather have Rishabh Pant ahead of him.

Imran is considered one of the best all-rounders to have ever played the sport. He was the face of Pakistan cricket for a decade, revolutionising the team’s mentality, while scoring 3807 runs at an average of 37.69 and taking 362 wickets at 22.81. He led Pakistan to remarkable wins in India, the West Indies and England, though his win% was quite middling at 29.16, the ninth best in Asia (a minimum of 25 Tests).

“For a Test match, my captain would be Imran Khan. My vice-captain would be Sachin Tendulkar. MS? I think my team would not even have MS Dhoni. For me, Rishabh Pant would get into the team,” Jaffer said in a video on his YouTube channels.

Dhoni’s Test captaincy tenure wasn’t as remarkable, though, with a win% of 45. He never had the bowling attack to deliver consistent overseas success. One man who ticks both boxes would be Virat Kohli, with a win% of 58.82, the highest in Asia, with famous wins in England, Australia and South Africa.

‘Pakistan’s misfortune that Imran Khan was not PM for long’

Imran has been in the news lately for his alleged mistreatment by the Pakistan authorities during his incarceration for convictions on corruption, among other charges. On Sunday, 21 former cricket captains, including Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev, wrote to the Pakistan prime minister to ensure his welfare.

Jaffer offered his support to it, also praising Imran as a ‘visionary’.

“Giving him better treatment is basic; he’s a source of pride for Pakistan,” he said. “He won them the World Cup; he was a great player, captain, and leader. He could have easily gone and settled in England or somewhere else, but he stayed and fought to improve things for his country. It’s the right initiative. He was a fantastic cricketer and a role model. Even today, the players from the 90s rate him as one of the best leaders in world cricket. The way he bowled, batted, and led his team was exceptional. He was an Oxford Blue, an educated man, and he’s done so much for his country.”

“I got to meet him in 2006, and we also visited his cancer hospital, the Shaukat Khanum Hospital. It’s an amazing facility where poor people get treatment for free or at very low cost. He’s done so much for Pakistan… He was a great leader, a visionary. It’s just Pakistan’s misfortune that he was not the Prime Minister for a long time,” he added.