Former Indian cricketer Hemang Badani believes that the Indian team management should rest MS Dhoni and try out with the second wicketkeeper in the ongoing home T20I series against Australia.
The former World Cup-winning Indian captain MS Dhoni is one of the crucial players of the present Indian national cricket team. Hemang Badani also believes this as he claimed the MS Dhoni would play as the first wicketkeeper for India in the upcoming World Cup.
However, the former Indian cricketer also feels that India should make ready the second wicketkeeper for the World Cup. That’s why Hemang Badani wants MS Dhoni to take rest from the second T20I of the ongoing series against Australia. He feels that the team management should try Rishabh Pant or Dinesh Karthik for the wicketkeeping role in this match.
On Wednesday (27 February), India and Australia will play the second and final T20I of the series at Bengaluru. After this T20I series, India will play the five-match home ODI series against Australia. It will be the last international assignment for India before the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup.
England and Wales will host the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup from 30 May to 14 July. The two-time World Cup-winning side India will begin their World Cup journey on 5 June against South Africa at Southampton.
Talking about the replacement of MS Dhoni in the Bengaluru T20I, Hemang Badani has suggested the name of Vijay Shankar.
The former Indian cricketer told ESPNcricinfo, “Dhoni anyways is going to play the World Cup and is your first keeper. If you had asked me, to begin with, I would say don’t play MS Dhoni at all. Give Dhoni a rest. You are figuring out who will be your second wicketkeeper. I would say straightaway that try out Rishabh Pant and Dinesh Karthik. But Indian selectors have gone ahead with Dhoni in the first game. But I would say try out DK, try put Pant because this is a trial for them to be the second keeper. Vijay Shankar has done exceedingly well in the series against New Zealand. That is why I say, try that kid out and give him as many chances as possible. If gets some runs on the board there is a chance that he might go on to play in the World Cup.”
I don’t think Dhoni wants to rest: Shaun Tait
In the same conversation, the former Aussie pacer Shaun Tait also agreed with Hemang Badani’s advice. However, Shaun Tait also believes that MS Dhoni doesn’t want to take the rest at present.
Shaun Tait said, “I don’t think Dhoni wants to rest. At his age, he wants to keep playing and keep his body up and running. But given that, yes Dhoni will go to the World Cup. So you might as well try the other guys.”
MS Dhoni played in the first game of the ongoing T20I home series against Australia at Visakhapatnam. Though he played a crucial knock of unbeaten 29 off 37 balls, many fans have felt disappointed for that slow innings.