Reports: Team management asks MS Dhoni to keep playing until Rishabh Pant is ready to take over

The Indian team for the upcoming tour of West Indies was announced recently. It was also mentioned by the BCCI chief selector MSK Prasad that MS Dhoni had made himself unavailable for next two months. The veteran looks to serve the parachute regiment he is a part of. Therefore, the speculations on his future in international cricket continue to build up.

MSK Prasad also pointed out that the focus has now shifted to the ICC T20 World Cup in 2020 and this means that Rishabh Pant has been marked for grooming by the team management. Pant has already become the first-choice keeper in the longer formats of the game despite Wriddhiman Saha’s return to the fold. He has been chosen for all the three formats for the Caribbean tour.

Dhoni is a team player

As per reports in Sportstar, the team management has asked MS Dhoni not to retire for the given time. The reports also suggested that Pant is in process of being groomed to take over from MS Dhoni for the World T20 2020 and if the latter retires now, there will be no one left to guide and mentor him.

“Dhoni knows what his role and position are. All these talks about his retirement and when he will call it quits make no sense as he is a team player. He will never react to any controversy and I am sure you all know this much about the man and his ethics. While the team management is grooming Pant with an eye on the next T20 World Cup and beyond, they want Dhoni as a mentor and back-up if he is needed going into the tournament.

They want him to stick around a bit longer. There is no denying the fact that Pant is the future and he will be looked at across all formats, but Dhoni’s guidance, as well as presence, is still needed,” the source privy to inside information said. Meanwhile, MSK Prasad said that retirement is Dhoni’s decision to make and that the selectors are looking to give Rishabh as many opportunities as possible to get him ready properly.