The confusion surrounding the T20 career of MS Dhoni just refuses to die down ever since the selectors did not include him in the squads for the series against Windies and Australia.
There is absolutely no denying that Dhoni has been under-performing for quite some time not only in T20Is but also in ODIs. But the constant backing from the team-management made it clear that Dhoni’s place in the team is safe at least for the recent future. However, the selectors dropped a huge bombshell by dropping Dhoni from the T20 squads, much to everyone’s surprise.
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Chairman of selectors MSK Prasad then insisted that it is not the end of Dhoni in T20Is.
“He [Dhoni] is not going to play the six T20Is [West Indies and Australia] because we are looking at the second keeper’s slot. So I think we will retain Rishabh [Pant] and Dinesh Karthik. So they will be getting a chance to keep and bat. It is not the end of Dhoni in T20Is,” Prasad said.
But now The Indian Express has reported that the selectors have dropped Dhoni because they are looking for other options for the WorldT20 in 2020.
The report claimed that selectors didn’t feel that Dhoni would be playing in the T20 world cup to be held in Australia and decided that it makes no sense to play him in T20 games anymore. And as far as his ODI career is concerned, the selectors and the team-management have left it to Dhoni himself.
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“The selectors before selection meeting had informed Dhoni through the team management that time has come to move on and give a chance to a younger player in the shortest format. Everyone knows that Dhoni might not carry on till 2020 T20 World Cup. Selectors felt the Indian board should start looking for Dhoni’s replacement from now on,” a BCCI source told the news outlet.
Well, time and again, the team-management as well as the selectors have made it clear that Dhoni features prominently in the team’s plan for the 2019 World Cup. The World Cup-winning skipper has been struggling for runs. But the team-management is backing Dhoni for his experience and believe that his expertise will help Kohli in the upcoming World Cup. But at the same time one cannot deny that Dhoni needs to score runs especially at a time when Rishabh Pant is impressing on every possible opportunity.