'Players should return to national set up 3-4 years after retirement' - Kapil Dev feels MS Dhoni's appointment is a 'special case'

The biggest talking point about the Indian squad announcement on Wednesday (8 September) was MS Dhoni being named as the mentor of the team. All hailed this move by the board as a masterstroke and termed it a win-win situation for all. The former India captain was convinced by BCCI secretary Jay Shah, and he too was interested in contributing to the senior men’s team.

Already few experts like Sunil Gavaskar have praised this move by BCCI. Jumping into the bandwagon, Kapil Dev has also shared his thoughts on the same. Although Dev lauded the move, he also felt that at least three years gap should be there for retired cricketers to come back to national duties. Dhoni had called it quits on August 15, 2020, last year, and it has only been a year. He also plays in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for Chennai Super Kings (CSK).

Dev feels Dhoni’s appointment by BCCI seems more like a special case. “It is a good decision. I have always been of the opinion that once a cricketer retires, he should come back to the setup only after three-four years but this seems like a special case with the World Cup around the corner. Ravi (Shastri) is also down with COVID, so it looks a special case,” Kapil said as quoted by Outlook India.

Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association (MPCA) life member Sanjeev Gupta has written a letter to Apex Council questioning BCCI’s move. Gupta also gave an example of Rahul Dravid and said he was told to quit coaching of Rajasthan Royals before he could join as the director of National Cricket Academy (NCA).

Ravi Shastri delighted to have MS Dhoni onboard

Meanwhile, incumbent team India head coach Ravi Shastri is ecstatic to have Dhoni for the T20 World Cup and feels it will be a huge shot in the arm for the boys.

“The team couldn’t have asked for anything better. The BCCI has thought this out extremely well and put the plans in place. Having MS Dhoni in the dressing-room and the dugout will be a huge shot in the arm for the boys. It’s a great move,” Shastri told the Times of India on Thursday.