Everyone's after him, says Dhoni's childhood coach

KOLKATA: MS Dhoni's childhood coach is of the opinion that the Indian captain is missing the trust of his fellow players and the establishment presently. Chanchal Bhattacharya, a man who knows Dhoni from close quarters, told TOI from Ranchi that Dhoni's offer to relinquish captaincy in the post-match press conference on Sunday was a result of frustration growing out of the public criticism of his leadership in recent times.
"Everyone's after him," frowned Bhattacharya. "A few days ago, former selector Raja Venkat went public, saying Mahi would have been removed from captaincy in 2011-12 season itself had N Srinivasan (then BCCI chief) not intervened. After achieving so much as captain, how does it feel to read such things in the newspaper? That's why he has rightly said India winning is more important than who leads the team, so if the team can win with somebody else as captain, so be it."
However, he believes Dhoni's offer to quit was more of a reaction than borne out of conviction. "He knows he's good for a few more years and may continue to lead India (in limited-overs cricket)."
Analyzing Dhoni's captaincy, Bhattacharya said, "During the World T20 in 2007, he backed his players to the hilt because those cricketers had a special bond with him. That's why they succeeded. I don't think that's happening now. But I'm sure the situation will improve and Mahi will get back his golden touch."