Dhoni denies to be drawn Into Test Captaincy Debate

Even if some critics are furiously debating whether Anil Kumble should hand over the reins of the Test captaincy to his deputy, ODI skipper MS Dhoni himself is pretty cool about the whole controversy and wondering what the fuss is all about.

"If you ask me, I’m too happy and privileged to be playing under someone as great and as modest as Kumble," Dhoni told TOI on Sunday.

"He’s a thorough gentleman. A legend. And a bowler of great skill and tremendous fighting qualities. He commands the respect of his team.

"Kumble is someone who is fiercely determined, one who never gives up. Even if the opponents need 10 runs to get on the final day, we know Kumble will come back and fight till the last run. These qualities are rare," explained Dhoni.

Cutting out the Test captaincy debate, he says, "I’ve never given too much thought to these things. There’s no point. I’m just too happy to be playing the game, playing for the country and enjoying every moment.

"The way I look at it is, I never thought I would play for India but I did. I never dreamt of leading the country but I did. So I don’t let such things creep into my mind, more so because it’s none of my business. The important thing is to understand that we have a tough series coming up against the best side in the world, so we need to focus our energies on that. Period."

Like all of us, Dhoni too is hoping that Sachin Tendulkar recovers from his elbow injury ahead of the first Test against Australia.

"Sachin continues to be a key player in the middle order and he showed us why his presence is so very important in the last series in Australia," opined the charismatic Dhoni.

"Once he returns, it will only be a matter of time before he gets those 70-75 runs to become the highest run-getter in Test history. That is something the whole country is looking forward to. I’m sure it will be a great moment for him just as it will be for the entire team and the country."