I have not met MS Dhoni after the World Cup: Ravi Shastri

The conundrum around the future of MS Dhoni refuses to die. The former Indian captain led his team to multiple titles likes ICC T20 World Cup 2007, ICC Champions Trophy 2013, ICC No.1 Test ranking in 2009 and of course the biggest price of them all: ICC Cricket World Cup in 2011.

However, the former Indian captain hasn’t featured in an International match since that heartbreaking 2019 World Cup semi-final; a game which India lost with MS Dhoni getting brilliantly run-out by a one-handed bolter by Martin Guptill. The Indian wicketkeeper went for his army duties during the tour of Caribbean where India played three T20Is and as many One-day Internationals.

And, when Indian captain, Virat Kohli, shared a throwback image of him batting with Dhoni [Read: ICC World Twenty20 match vs Australia at Mohali in 2016] on the eve of the team selection for the series against the visiting South Africans, speculations began to galore about the possible press-conference and an imminent Dhoni retirement. However, nothing of that sort happened. No Press-conference took place, other than the by the selectors who announced that MS Dhoni had made himself unavailable for South Africa and Bangladesh T20Is.

Ravi Shastri weighs in on MS Dhoni conundrum

Speaking to The Hindu on the sideline of the 2nd Test, head coach Ravi Shastri weighed in on the issue, alluding that it’s up to Dhoni whether he wants to come back or not.

“Whether he wants to come back, that’s for him to decide. I have not met him after the World Cup. He has to first start playing and let’s see how things go. I don’t think he has started playing after the World Cup. If he is keen, he will definitely let the selectors know. He will go down as one of our greatest players, very, very high up the list,” Ravi Shastri said to The Hindu.

‘Saha- Best gloveman in the World’

Shastri also clarified the conundrum between opting for Saha over previously incumbent Rishabh Pant, alluding that the reason Pant came into the side was that Saha was injured and that the latter is the best wicket-keeper in the world. Saha was injured and that was the reason Pant came into the Test side. Saha is the best ‘keeper’ in the world, and at home, where the bounce can be variable, his ‘keeping is invaluable.

“Pant has scored Test hundreds in England and Australia, is talented, but he is still very young and has the time to improve his ‘keeping’,” Shastri said.

Watch: 5 Times when Virat Kohli was trolled by Indian fans