Much needed break for Mahendra Singh Dhoni?

MUMBAI: The thought of taking a flight out of India to play a Test series abroad may possibly top the list of things that have worried Mahendra Singh Dhoni the most in recent years.
Four tours, 17 Tests, three draws, one win and 13 losses. The figures look painful enough to give any international cricket captain the worst night mares. There's little doubt Dhoni has suffered his share too.
This one time when the Indian team takes flight to Australia, Dhoni won't be accompanying them. The BCCI has said, in a statement, that he "has been rested for the first Test as a prophylactic measure to ensure optimum recovery" and "will join the team from the second Test onwards" as captain.
BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel later said Dhoni's injured his thumb ­ which the BCCI did not mention in its statement.
In the four years since the string of losses began accumulating for Dhoni and his team, the skipper found himself at the receiving end far too many times than ever before in his career that began under the mentorship of some of India's most accomplished cricketers.
From being called defensive and unimaginative to pointing at his lack of proper technique and obstinacy in not wanting to bat up the order has already earned him quite a bit of criticism.
From Mike Brearley in England to Mohinder Amarnath in India, the talk revolved around his inability as a Test skipper that led to India's string of disappointing performances overseas.
A break, at this point of time, will do him good.
It is not for the first time that a captain's ability (from India's point of view) to soak-in pressure at the highest level has been questioned. In the run-up to the 2003-04 tour of Australia, questions had been raised over Sourav Ganguly's ability to bat on the bouncy pitches Down Under until his 144 at Brisbane put an end to the chatter.
And therefore, as the past suggests, there's no reason to believe why Dhoni cannot revel yet again on a high-profile tour like never before. However, 10 years ago, Ganguly's tour of Australia wasn't anywhere near the World Cup (the South African edition was over) and emerging as a Test team of international repute was the biggest prize India were looking to achieve and that particular series Down Under is where it all started.
Right now, the tour of Australia will be followed by a triangular series and thereafter the World Cup, in which Dhoni will lead India probably for one final time. If retaining the trophy yet again is where his priorities lie, it won't do Dhoni any good pouring all his energies into a format that he's least interested in playing these days.
A few sources have already pointed out Dhoni's unwillingness to continue in the longest format. The skipper too, in recent times, hasn't spoken of any bar he has set for himself in Test cricket. Winning the World Cup once again is all Dhoni has talked about time and again. From wracking his brains over a format that he's clearly struggled in -barring the series win against Australia at home -Dhoni would do well in handing Virat Kohli the charge once and for all.
To lead a young team in Australia would instill great deal of confidence in the Delhi-lad while Dhoni, being one of the best one-day cricketers ever, can concentrate on rebuilding his World Cup dream.