Dressing room environment and media: Former coach on why Dhoni is feeling the pressure

MS Dhoni’s former coach Chanchal Bhattacharya blamed bad dressing room atmosphere for the Indian skipper’s failure to deliver results. Dhoni has come under fire for India’s recent and first ODI series loss at the hands of Bangladesh — and the captain has himself said that he would be happy to step down if he was at fault for the outcome of the three-match series (2-0 with one match to go). [caption id=“attachment_2100323” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  MS Dhoni. AFP[/caption] “He is unable to deliver his best because of mental pressure and because of the dressing room’s environment as well as the media. I haven’t spoken to him but I feel the environment of the dressing room is bad,” Bhattacharya was quoted as saying by ANI. That Dhoni was ready to step down as skipper is an indication that things are not fine within the team, Bhattacharya reasoned. “I don’t know the inside story but we have seen Dhoni play and fight till the last over. If one’s mind is not at peace then it is impossible to play,” he said. Bhattacharya still has faith in his former ward and said that he will continue to play — but just a player, and not a captain. “The way he is playing suggests that he would be in the game for some more time, but maybe he may step down as the skipper,” he said. Bangladesh have shown brilliant fight and decisiveness in the series and have been rewarded for their wins with a Champions Trophy 2017 place.