No question of ignoring MS Dhoni, says Team India selector

There are questions looming large over MS Dhoni and his future in the Indian cricket team. After his World Cup sojourn, the veteran is yet to take the cricket field. Dhoni, who turned 38 last month, didn’t play the ODI and T20I series versus the Windies. The same was because he was on a two-month break from the sport in order to serve the Indian Army in Kashmir.

However, he also made himself unavailable for the three-match T20I series against South Africa, starting September 15. But the speculations are rife that Dhoni has had to face the axe and the writing was pretty much on the walls for the Jharkhand-born. In the meantime, an Indian selector has quashed the rumours that Dhoni has been ignored for the series.

The selector said that Dhoni has given them time to build the team with an eye on the 2020 T20 World Cup in Australia. The selector said that Dhoni has promised to take a call on his career once India’s bench strength in the keeping department is ready to deliver at the highest level.

I am sure we are all good with our maths

“There is no question of ignoring him. On the contrary, he has given us time to go ahead and plan the future keeping an eye on the World T20 next year. He realises that the team comes before public opinion and considering the fact that we still don’t have a genuine replacement if Rishabh Pant gets injured in the shorter format, Dhoni has agreed to hold on.

“At present, there is no question of ignoring him. Also, just prior to the West Indies tour, he took a two-month sabbatical. I am sure we are all good with our maths,” the selector said according to the Times of India.

The selector also said that the management is yet to sit with MS Dhoni and have a chat with him regarding his journey after the World Cup. Moreover, he admitted that life won’t be any easier without Dhoni if in case, Pant ends up injuring himself.

“No. We are yet to sit down with him and talk about the roadmap ahead and that is why he has given us some time to chalk out our plans and look at the options that we have at our disposal. Life beyond Dhoni isn’t something that looks too bright if Pant is injured for some reason or has to miss the World T20,” the selector added.

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