India need MS Dhoni, but it’s Virat Kohli’s call: Suresh Raina

Suresh Raina, the discarded Indian batsman, reckons that MS Dhoni won’t be creating a hullabaloo before hanging his boots from cricket. Ever since the 2019 World Cup semi-final in July 2019, speculations surrounding when the Jharkhand-born will call it quits have been doing the rounds. Dhoni has been on a sabbatical for the last six months and the date of his return isn’t known.

But it’s likely that he’ll turn up in the 2020 Indian Premier League (IPL) where he represents the Chennai Super Kings (CSK). Throwing light on the same, Raina said that the veteran would be going to Chennai to get himself warmed up for the T20 league.

Dhoni is looking fit and has been training hard, says Raina

“Dhoni will probably be coming to Chennai in the first week of March to train ahead of the IPL. Right now, it is so good to see him spending a lot of time with his family. If he wants to leave the game, he will go without making a big fuss,” Raina was quoted as saying in an interview with Times of India.

Raina has been plying his trade alongside Dhoni in the CSK setup ever since the inaugural edition back in 2008. As per him, Team India needs Dhoni’s services and the 38-year-old has been training hard to keep up with his fitness. Raina has, however, put the ball on Virat Kohli’s court.

The southpaw said that it’s up to the Indian skipper to decide India’s plans with Dhoni. “I want to see him continue to play. He is looking fit and has been training hard. I still think the Indian team needs him. But it is Virat’s call on how they go forward,” Raina stated.

Raina also spoke about India’s middle-order. The number four slot has troubled the Men in Blue for a long time. But, Shreyas Iyer, off late, has made the position his own with some matured knocks. Raina expressed gratitude of playing under Rahul Dravid and Dhoni. He credited both understanding his game and allowing him to grow.

“For any newcomer, it is important to get a lot of opportunities. I was lucky to play under Rahul Dravid when I came in. He gave me a lot of opportunities. Then I played under MS Dhoni, who understood my game,” Raina added.