Richardson sees Dhoni as a pioneer of the modern game

International Cricket Council (ICC) chief executive officer (CEO) David Richardson has backed India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, stating that people should not be so quick to judge him by “how much he misses”.

Dhoni has come under heavy fire from the media and former players for his team’s horrendous run after winning the 2011 ICC World Cup on home soil.

“The only way you judge a keeper by how much he misses and Dhoni doesn’t miss too much,” Richardson said. ” In fact, I have always marvelled at his work load, the fact that he is batting at No.6, captaining and keeping wickets.”

Richardson stated that one of the most prominent and aspiring qualities of Dhoni was his ability to stay calm in pressure situations.

“I think that he has exceptional talent,” Richardson added. “He also stays calm with his job. He is a good captain and he should remain at the helm.”

Richardson also believes that the Indian Premier League (IPL) has done more good than harm for the game and noted that many more youngsters are getting the opportunity to play against their heroes and make a case for themselves.

“The IPL has more positives than the negatives,” Richardson said. “The skills developed in all three departments of the game, it added to the skills of the international players.”

When asked about the growing number of domestic Twenty20 tournaments around the world, Richardson stated that they have to be properly regulated and the organisers have to ensure that it is “professionally run” as well.

“At the moment we have our working group looking at the possible regulations regarding domestic T20 league,” Richardson added. “But the organisers need to understand that if they are to survive they need to be professionally run.”