'Mahi didn't want to play for some time and so we moved on' - MSK Prasad on how he handled MS Dhoni's case after the World Cup

MS Dhoni and his international future has been the burning question for long now. Rather it was the question which former chief selector MSK Prasad had to handle throughout his tenure as the veteran was approaching the fag end of his illustrious career. Moreover, Dhoni hasn’t played any competitive cricket since the World Cup semi-final last year and Prasad now has recalled why they moved on and picked Rishabh Pant after the mega event.

Pant played almost every series after the World Cup in England even as questions kept on raising about his place in the side. At the same time, Dhoni’s continued absence also left the fans and experts baffled. However, MSK Prasad has revealed that the wicketkeeper-batsman himself wanted some time off from the game and that is the reason they moved on picked a youngster and also backed him.

“I am very very clear. I made it very very clear. We had a discussion and mahi didn’t want to play for sometime, so we moved on and then picked up Rishabh Pant and we’ve been backing him,” the 45-year-old said in an interview to Fancode.

It’s a tricky situation now for MS Dhoni, says MSK Prasad

However, with KL Rahul‘s emergence as a wicktkeeper-batsman in the limited-overs format, the situation has got a bit tricky for MS Dhoni according to MSK Prasad. The former chief selector felt that the IPL could’ve given a chance for the veteran cricketer to show his prowess but it is tough for him now that the T20 extravaganza has been suspended until further notice due to the pandemic.

“Now, that KL also has done extremely well in limited-overs that he played in NZ, so, it would’ve been nice had this IPL held and we would’ve seen Mahi’s old glimpses back but now it’s a tricky situation,” Prasad added. But as far as the former cricketers are to be belived, MS Dhoni has played his last match for India and they are even of the opinion that he might have made his mind to retire from international cricket as well.