MS Dhoni
Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra on Tuesday reckoned that if the Indian cricket team management requires MS Dhoni, he will return to the squad with or without the 13th season of the Indian Premier League.
Chopra's comment came amid the uncertainty over the hosting of IPL 2020 following the rise in coronavirus concerns across India. IPL was scheduled to start from March 29 onwards with the final on May 24. But the spread of the virus has urged BCCI to suspend the cash-rich league until April 15.
This season was particularly important for Dhoni who has been out of action for the last eight months. Since India's World Cup semifinal exit against New Zealand last July, Dhoni has not played another limited-overs match for India. Head coach Ravi Shastri had said that a good IPL season would put him in contention for the World T20 squad where KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant are the contenders for the wicketkeeping position with the former leading the race as the primary choice.
"For a player like Dhoni, IPL was never going to be a yardstick. If he had scored runs in the IPL, experts would have been like 'select Dhoni', 'do this and do that'. MS Dhoni knows what he is doing, whether he wants to come back or not," Chopra said in a YouTube video.
"IPL, I don't think was a critical factor. If he wants to come back, he will make himself available, if the selectors decide to pick him, he will be picked automatically because you won't get experience in supermarkets. Dhoni is a hugely experienced player. If India needs MS Dhoni, then with or without IPL, he will come back."
On Monday, IPL had a teleconference with the owners of the eight franchises but there was no headway. Meanwhile, Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore have suspended their IPL camps and Dhoni has returned home to Ranchi.
