'Dhoni needs to encourage the bowlers, make sure they aren't dispirited'

Sunil Gavaskar feels that current limited-overs captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni should go that extra mile to encourage a bowler when he is getting hit for runs. 

Asked if it was necessary to give bowlers confidence and continue with them in bad times rather than changing often Gavaskar said, "Every member of the team wants the captain to be by his side, be a batsman or a bowler, but particularly a bowler when he is getting some punishment. 

"When the punishment is happening and he is looking around and I think if he has a senior player or a captain around who puts his hands around his shoulders and says don't worry...I have confidence in your bowling, it can make a difference.

"That is always something captains look to do and try and encourage the bowlers, try and make sure that he is not dispirited," the former India cricket captain told NDTV.

"If not the captain himself, a senior player is often given the task to stand at mid off or mid on to be able to tell the bowlers to keep their spirits up," Gavaskar added.

After India notched up their consolation win in the third and final ODI against Bangladesh at Mirpur, Dhoni had hit out at his struggling quick bowlers, saying that the time has come to decide on the future of the existing pace attack.