Chennai, May 1: India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni today rubbished talks about his retirement plans in 2013, saying his comments made during the Australian tour were “blown out of proportion” and there was still time for him to take a call.
“That was blown out of proportion,” he told reporters here referring to his comments made during India's tour of Australia in January this year.
Dhoni had then said that he may retire from Test cricket if he is to play in the 2015 cricket World Cup.
“If I have to see through the 2015 (World Cup), I would have to retire from one of the formats,” Dhoni had said then.
Dhoni today said he will decide about the retirement depending upon his fitness.
“By end of 2013, I have to see where my body stands whether I can play the 2015 - 50 over World Cup. And if I am not fit enough then I have to make way for the youngsters coming in,” he said.
“If I see (that) I can only play till the end of 2014 in both the formats (ODI and Tests) then I have to give up the ODI format because, I will not be able to play the 2015 World cup. There is no point in pursuing the ODI career. So, it was more like what is good for everyone,” he added.
Elaborating his point, Dhoni said: “You want an experience wicket keeper, because it is a very important slot.
Wicketkeeper is always half captain in the sense he does all the field settings and everything and gives the captain as to what is happening from the batsmen's side.
“So this is it all about. It is not like I am retiring right now. Or I will have to retire in 2013. Still one and half years is there. Nobody knows that a major injury can happen and I won't be able to play cricket. Thats something that can happen in life. But this is it if everything goes in the right direction,” he said.
“That was blown out of proportion,” he told reporters here referring to his comments made during India's tour of Australia in January this year.
Dhoni had then said that he may retire from Test cricket if he is to play in the 2015 cricket World Cup.
“If I have to see through the 2015 (World Cup), I would have to retire from one of the formats,” Dhoni had said then.
Dhoni today said he will decide about the retirement depending upon his fitness.
“By end of 2013, I have to see where my body stands whether I can play the 2015 - 50 over World Cup. And if I am not fit enough then I have to make way for the youngsters coming in,” he said.
“If I see (that) I can only play till the end of 2014 in both the formats (ODI and Tests) then I have to give up the ODI format because, I will not be able to play the 2015 World cup. There is no point in pursuing the ODI career. So, it was more like what is good for everyone,” he added.
Elaborating his point, Dhoni said: “You want an experience wicket keeper, because it is a very important slot.
Wicketkeeper is always half captain in the sense he does all the field settings and everything and gives the captain as to what is happening from the batsmen's side.
“So this is it all about. It is not like I am retiring right now. Or I will have to retire in 2013. Still one and half years is there. Nobody knows that a major injury can happen and I won't be able to play cricket. Thats something that can happen in life. But this is it if everything goes in the right direction,” he said.
