Dhoni has always been a mentor for all of us: Kohli

Kohli & Dhoni
Virat Kohli and M S Dhoni have great respect for each other. File photo: AFP

Dubai: His mere presence aside, Indian team mentor Mahendra Singh Dhoni's "eye for intricate details" and "practical advice" will help in enhancing the confidence of the squad in the T20 World Cup here, captain Virat Kohli said on Saturday.

Iconic former captain Dhoni was last month brought in as mentor of India's 15-member T20 World Cup squad by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in a surprising move.

During a pre-tournament media interaction organised by the ICC, Kohli, who is still chasing a world title as skipper of the Indian team, expressed his delight at Dhoni's appointment.

"He has got massive experience. He is quite excited himself to be back in that environment. He has always been a mentor for all of us when we were starting our careers through till the time he was with the team," Kohli said.

"Younger guys who are playing their first major tournaments at early stages of career will benefit. His eye for intricate details and practical advice will help improve the game by one or two per cent.

"We are absolutely delighted to have him...(His) presence will not only boost morale but also increase confidence that we already have," he added.


Kohli said he is looking forward to gaining from the experience that Dhoni has accumulated over the years.

He said Dhoni's game awareness would be important in garnering "practical inputs" on where the match is going and how the team can improve.

Dhoni won the IPL title for a fourth time with Chennai Super Kings on Friday. 

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