The former India cricketer made the statement when asked to compare Dhoni and Sangakkara, having experienced playing under both leaders.
Dhoni and Sangakkara, two contemporaries who often competed for the top spot in world cricket, famously faced off in the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup final at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium. Both captains performed their usual roles, but it was Dhoni’s leadership that ultimately guided India to lift the trophy.
In the final, Dhoni played a match-winning innings, scoring an unbeaten 91 off 79 balls and sealing India’s victory with a decisive six. He was also named Player of the Match.
“There is no comparison. Mahendra Singh Dhoni was a far better wicketkeeper-captain than Sangakkara because I played with Sangakkara in the Deccan Chargers when he was the keeper-captain. It’s not that he was bad—there’s no disrespect—but Dhoni as a captain and wicketkeeper was above everyone else,” Parthiv Patel said on The Great Indian Cricket Show.
Parthiv Patel had the unique experience of playing under Dhoni for India and Chennai Super Kings, and later under Sangakkara with the now-defunct Deccan Chargers.
Rishabh Pant is Still a Work-in-Progress, Says Parthiv Patel; Hails Adam Gilchrist as a ‘Complete Package’
For Parthiv, the choice was clear: Australian great Adam Gilchrist, who he described as a “complete package” during his playing days. The 40-year-old explained his reasoning and noted that Pant is still developing his game.
“Adam Gilchrist. Obviously, Sangakkara had a different style and elegance, but he didn’t spend his entire career as a wicketkeeper-batsman—sometimes he played purely as a batsman. As for Rishabh Pant, I think he’s still a work-in-progress, especially in white-ball cricket. But Adam Gilchrist is the complete package for both white-ball and Test cricket,” Parthiv Patel said.
