MS Dhoni at No 3 would have broken most records, says Gautam Gambhir

Former India opener Gautam Gambhir believes that Mahendra Singh Dhoni would have been a different player with all batting records in his kitty had the Indian captain opted batting one down in 50-over format.

Gambhir was asked to choose between current India skipper Virat Kohli and Dhoni, to chase down a target.

File image of Gautam Gambhir (L) and MS Dhoni. AFP

"It's very difficult to compare both of them because one bats at No 3, one bats at No 6 or 7," Gambhir said on Star Sports show 'Cricket Connected'.

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According to Gambhir, with the kind of flat pitches on offer and quality of current bowling attacks in world cricket now, the Jharkhand dasher could have broken most of the records had he batted at three.

"Probably, I would have taken MS Dhoni. MS Dhoni batting at No 3 on flat wickets, with the quality of bowling attack now in world cricket.

"Look at Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, West Indies, in the current situation, with the kind of quality in international cricket there is, MS Dhoni would have probably broken most of the records," added the southpaw, who is a member of both 2007 and 2011 World Cup-winning Indian team.

Dhoni in his career usually batted lower down the order and was more of a finisher.

The former left-handed opener felt that Dhoni would have been the most exciting cricketer in the world had he not captained India and batted up the order at number three.

"Probably, world cricket has missed one thing and that is MS didn't bat at No 3. Had MS not captained India and batted at No 3, probably world cricket would have seen a completely different player, probably he could have got many more runs, he would have broken many more records."

However former India speedster Irfan Pathan had a different viewpoint.

Pathan said that if one compares Dhoni to Kohli at number three, Kohli would have been a better option.

"But MS had all the chance to bat at No 3, he didn't. Look, I really believe that if you compare Virat and Mahendra Singh Dhoni batting at No 3, I still feel Virat has a better technique.

"There's nothing that I am taking away from Mahendra Singh Dhoni, obviously he has been an absolute legend of the game. Everyone has their own opinion. I will still take Virat any day," said Pathan on the same show.