Is It the End of the Road for MS Dhoni?

Once again question have raised on the future of MS Dhoni as the selectors have named the squad for the upcoming series and as usual Dhoni has not been named. Newly-elected BCCI President Sourav Ganguly, although have said that he will talk to the selectors as well as MS Dhoni before taking a call on his future, chief selector MSK Prasad said they are very clear with the priorities and they are looking to move ahead. They have backing the youngster Rishabh Pant.

“We are moving on, we are very clear. Post World Cup we have been clear. We started backing (Rishabh) Pant and wanted to see him do well. He may not have had the best of matches but we are clear, we are focusing on him only,” MSK Prasad said after announcing the India squad for the upcoming series against Bangladesh.

“We’re looking at younger options after the World Cup, so you can understand our thought process. We definitely had a chat with Dhoni and he also endorses our view of backing youngsters,” he added.

On the other hand, Sourav Ganguly had said on Wednesday that whatever the decision MS Dhoni takes, it will be respected.

“I don’t know what’s in his mind. India is very proud to have M.S. Dhoni. Till I am around everybody will be respected. Dhoni’s achievements make India proud,” Ganguly said. “I am yet to talk to him. I will have a word soon with one of the greats of the Indian game.”

Sanju Samson and Shivam Dube have earned the T20 call-up for the upcoming series on the back of their wonderful domestic season. While talking about Sanju Samson’s inclusion, Prasad said that they are for a middle-order batsman and not as a second wicket-keeper.

“Sanju Samson has been included as a proper batsman, Pant will continue as wicket keeper. Sanju’s problem 3-4 years back was inconsistency. Now he has improved. He had a fantastic A series and wonderful Vijay Hazare. We consider him as a top-order batsman,” he added.

However, Prasad wasn’t much interested to talk about MS Dhoni. When he was asked if Dhoni could make a comeback in the domestic cricket, Prasad did not give a proper answer.

“That is purely his personal call,” Prasad said. “Going into domestic cricket, getting his touch back, or thoughts about retirement, everything is purely his personal [decision],” he concluded.

If Dhoni wants to take retirement, his half-century in the semi-final of ICC World Cup against New Zealand will be his last.

India squad for T20I series against Bangladesh: Rohit Sharma (C), Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Sanju Samson, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Rishabh Pant (WK), Washington Sundar, Krunal Pandya, Yuzvendra Chahal, Rahul Chahar, Deepak Chahar, Khaleel Ahmed, Shivam Dube, Shardul Thakur