Former India captain MS Dhoni, who took a break from cricket after the 2019 World Cup, will not be available for selection until November this year. He took the break to serve the Army. However, it was supposed to be a two-month break that made him unavailable for the selection for both the tour of West Indies and the T20Is against South Africa. However, a report in the Mumbai Mirror says that he is going to extend his break and miss both the Vijay Hazare Trophy as well as the home T20I series against Bangladesh. That suggests he most likely will be available for the series against West Indies in December.
“A game I can never forget. Special night. This man, made me run like in a fitness test,” Kohli had tweeted earlier. That led to rumour of Dhoni’s retirement till chairman of selectors MSK Prasad referred to it as “false news”.
When Kohli was asked what was going on in his mind when he tweeted, he replied: “Mere zehen mein kuch naahi thaa yaar (I had nothing in my mind). I was sitting at home and I normally put out a photograph and it became a news item.”
“I think it was a lesson for me, that the way I think, the whole world does not think that way. There was nothing in farthest stretch of my imagination (that it could be taken as retirement tribute) while putting that picture out on social media,” he further added.
In Dhoni’s absence, Rishabh Pant has become India’s first-choice wicketkeeper who however has been going through rough patches. On the other hand, former India cricketer Sunil Gavaskar believes the time has come for Dhoni to retire.
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“Nobody knows know what is in MSD’s mind. Only he can clarify what he thinks his future with Indian cricket is. But I think with him being 38 now, India should be looking ahead. Because by the time the next T20 World Cup comes around he will be 39 years old,” Gavaskar told India Today. “His value to the side is always going to be fantastic. Not just the runs he will score or the stumpings he will effect.
“But his overall presence on the field will be calming for the captain because the captain gets the benefit of his views. So that is a huge plus. But I do believe the time has come. Everybody has a shelf life and I do believe with the greatest of respect to Dhoni and I am a fan as millions of others; I just believe he should be going without being pushed out. He should be going on his own terms,” he concluded.
When MS Dhoni will be back only time can tell.
