Team India coach Ravi Shastri opened up on Mahendra Singh Dhoni's career ahead and hinted at a possible retirement from one-day international cricket. Shastri said that Dhoni has been playing a lot of cricket and might just want to focus on playing the shortest format of the game in order to sustain longer.
Speaking to CNN News18, the India coach said that Dhoni will play in the Indian Premier League and will return to cricket soon following his extended break from the sport since India's exit from the 2019 World Cup.
"We had a conversation but that's between me and MS, that's in the dressing room. What I feel is that people must respect is he's played non-stop in all formats of the game for a while. He's finished playing Test match, and in all probability, hell finish one-day cricket. At his age, probably the only format hell want to play is T20 cricket which means hell have to start playing again, get back into the grooves because he's going to play in the IPL and see how his body reacts," Shastri said.
He went on to say that Dhoni will not play forcefully and if he feels the time isn't right, he will hang up his boots just like he did in Test cricket.
"One thing about Dhoni I'll tell you. He will never impose himself on the team, or even himself. If he feels when he comes back that something is not right, just like he quit Test cricket, which was like a bolt out of the blue," he added.
However, the 57-year-old did leave the door open for the veteran to play in the World T20 in Australia later this year. Shastri said that Dhoni's fitnuss is optimum and a good IPL can ensure that he goes to the World Cup in October-November.
"And if Dhoni has a stellar show in the IPL and he puts himself into the contention then why not. If a guy is performing and if a guy whos never had fitness problems in his entire career... I mean for me he's like Kapil Dev. Kaps (Kapil) never had a problem, right through his career. Towards the end of his career also if there was one day cricketer, I am sure he would have played another two years."
But, when asked if all the wicketkeeper-batsmen in contention (Dhoni, Rishabh Pant and Sanju Samson) have good IPLs, then who goes? Shastri said that then experience and prior record in Australia will be taken into consideration.
"You'll have to see who'll do the job at what number, (and) what role. Whos the best guy, you'll take experience, youth and flamboyance into account and who fits into that number the best whether it is X, Y or Z.
"And as well be playing it Australia well have to figure out who'll adapt to the conditions best. All three names that you took are explosive batsmen and will be suitable for batting at number 4 or 5 because we need power at the back.
"So you'll have to see consistency, experience and conditions, he said. All that will come into play when the selectors sit down to pick the World Cup squad."
