Agency report
New Delhi, Nov 25: Mahendra Singh Dhoni handled India's One-Day International (ODI) and Twenty20 teams competently and would have also succeeded as a Test captain, former India wicket-keeper Syed Saba Karim said Saturday.
"I was impressed with the way Dhoni handled the ODI side. I was all for Dhoni as Test captain," Karim said.
"It is challenge for a wicket-keeper to captain a side and Dhoni did well to live up to the challenge," Karim said during the third day of the first India-Pakistan Test at the Ferozeshah Kotla Stadium.
The Dilip Vengsarkar-led selection panel appointed veteran Anil Kumble as India's Test captain after Rahul Dravid quit the post in September and Sachin Tendulkar declined to take over the reins for the third time in his illustrious career.
Karim, who played 34 ODIs and one Test before a severe eye injury ended his international career, said that appointing Kumble was not really the ideal decision in the interest of Indian cricket.
"Between Kumble and the rest of the team there is this so-called generation gap as he is not in the Indian ODI team," said Karim.
Kumble retired from ODI cricket after India's disastrous World Cup campaign in the West Indies, where the team crashed out in the first round.
Dravid was retained as captain for the tour of Bangladesh in May and for the England tour that followed. Dravid quit after the Test series win in England.
Dhoni was appointed captain for the Twenty20 World Championship in September, when India surprised everyone by winning the title in South Africa.
After Tendulkar declined the offer from Vengsarkar and company -- and the selection committee decided not to bring back Sourav Ganguly at the helm -- former India vice-captain Kumble, 37, readily accepted the job.
Karim, 40, said it was a challenge for a stumper to keep wickets as well as lead the team.
"But Dhoni took up the challenge and did well as captain cum wicket-keeper," stressed Karim, who has now turned to television commentary and writes in newspapers.
Karim said that a wicket keeper's performance and confidence increases if he is in form with the bat.
"It makes a lot of difference to a wicket-keeper's confidence if he is scoring runs as well. I can say that from my own experience," he said.