Few cricketers have captured the Indian public’s imagination quite like Mahendra Singh Dhoni. A talismanic figure who bridged the gap between the Sachin and Kohli eras, for a decade he was arguably the most deadly finisher in white-ball cricket.

Between 2007 and the 2015 World Cup, he averaged 56.81 with the bat, which is impressive enough, but when you look at his impact when chasing, you can quite reasonably make the case he was the most valuable ODI player in the world for that eight-year period.

In India’s 57 successful chases in that time, Dhoni averaged an astonishing 101.64. That number fell to a more human 32.28 in the 35 times they lost when chasing. Put simply, if Dhoni fired, which he normally did, India won.

The only mark against his name is his lack of List A experience – he only has one hundred in the format – but India should surely use every possible opportunity before the World Cup to bed him into the side.

Dropping a figure as respected in the game as Dhoni may not be the best from a PR standpoint, but in a World Cup year India have to be ruthless. This isn’t a 37-year-old defying his years and still producing the goods on a regular basis – this is a former great who has lost much of his stardust.