Dhoni has lost his Midas touch | Bishan Singh Bedi

New Delhi: It was a day of candid revelations on Saturday as former captain of the Indian cricket team, Bishan Singh Bedi spoke his mind and said it was time for both Mahendra Singh Dhoni and maestro Sachin Tendulkar to have a relook at their career graph. Speaking to Karan Thapar on Devil's Advocate, Bedi said that it was time for Indian Test cricket to get a new captain.

Here are excerpts from the interview:

Bedi on Dhoni:

Karan: Do you think the time has come for Mahendra Singh Dhoni to be replaced as Test captain?
Bedi: Personally speaking he might have had his day.

Karan: In other words, what you are saying is that if you were a selector you would be looking for a new Test captain...

Bedi: I think there is definitely room for a new Test captain.

Karan: People say that Dhoni has all the right instincts for a one-day captain but he doesn't have the temperament to be a Test captain. Do you agree with that?

Bedi: It's not a question of temperament. Let me cite an example. Richi Benaud once said... Australian captain... he said captaincy is 90 per cent luck, 10 per cent ability but he said I wouldn't go for the 90 per cent if I didn't have the 10 per cent and here is a case where the entire thing is dependent on 100 per cent luck.

Karan: Dhoni has run out of luck?

Bedi: I think he has.

Bedi on Sachin:

Karan: Has the time come to drop Sachin?

Bedi: The only person who can sit in judgment for Sachin Tendulkar is Tendulkar himself. Having said that, I feel that the Board must have enough gumption to take on Tendulkar and Tendulkar should also himself be able to decide.

Karan: Are you saying that Sachin should be allowed to choose his own time of departure or are you saying that maybe not the selectors, but the board must get in touch with Sachin and say to him 'It's time to go'?

Bedi: You think the board will get down to that kind of business.

Karan: But should the Board get down to it?

Bedi: Why not?

Karan: How much more time would you give Sachin before you decide that the Board now has to exercise its prerogative?

Bedi: Let him come back from this tour. There is nothing on after this tour, so give him little time to decide for himself.

Karan: But you are also saying that before the next series, he should have made up his mind.

Bedi: Oh definitely.

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