Dhoni loses the Midas touch

Though India have crashed out of the World Twenty20 without a single win, Kunal Pradhan writes in the Indian Express that says the over-the-top criticism of MS Dhoni must stop. In a sarcasm-laden piece, he marvels at how quickly fans forget Dhoni's many successes as both captain and batsman over the past 20 months.

His captaincy has been dissected, his mistakes magnified, his effigies burnt (it sounds like a pretty good job in India, making effigies — income guaranteed, even in times of recession). Not because we enjoy parading on the streets with banners and torches but because our national pride (which, 62 years after independence, rides on which side of a three-run result we finish on) has been hurt.

Defending champions India's lacklustre campaign reminds Dileep Premachandran of the insipid performance of holders Argentina at the 1982 football World Cup and France 20 years later. Read on in the Guardian.

Over at Dreamcricket Suresh Menon says India's early exit may have postponed the date on which Twenty20 takes over from Tests. And in the Wisden Cricketer Lawrence Booth says the IPL isn't to blame for India's failings.