MS Dhoni
MS Dhoni (Credits: Twitter)

India’s chief selector MSK Prasad has insisted the team-management has a plan in place for MS Dhoni and the next World Cup. Just a few days ago, speculations were rife that the former India skipper would retire from international cricket in the wake of the latest criticism at the World Cup. However, the World Cup-winning skipper decided against it.

But at the same time, he made things easier for the selectors by making himself unavailable for the limited-overs matches against West Indies. Instead of touring West Indies, MS Dhoni decided to serve his paramilitary regiment for a couple of months. Thus, he did not feature in the ODI and the T20I squad for the upcoming tour.

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MS Dhoni
MS Dhoni. (Credits: Twitter)

The selectors, on Sunday, announced the squad for the full-fledged series and Rishabh Pant was the main wicketkeeper across all the squads. MSK Prasad made it clear that MS Dhoni was unavailable. He also said that maximum opportunity will be give to Rishabh Pant ahead of the next World Cup.

“Dhoni is unavailable. But we have certain road map till WC. But maximum opportunity to Pant till WC. We have discussed with him: MSK Prasad on the road ahead,” said Prasad.

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Prasad’s statement has made it more or less clear that Dhoni is unlikely to be a regular part of the team now. The onus will now be on Pant to deliver the goods as the wicketkeeper and as a middle-order batsman.

Here is the full schedule of India’s tour to West Indies:

1st T20I – August 3 at Central Broward Regional Park Stadium Turf Ground, Lauderhill, Florida

2nd T20I – August 4 at Central Broward Regional Park Stadium Turf Ground, Lauderhill, Florida

3rd T20I – August 6 at Providence Stadium, Guyana

1st ODI – August 8 at Providence Stadium, Guyana

2nd ODI – August 11 at Queen’s Park Oval, Port of Spain, Trinidad

3rd ODI – August 14 at Queen’s Park Oval, Port of Spain, Trinidad

1st Test – August 22-August 26 at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, North Sound, Antigua

2nd Test – August 30 – September 3 at Sabina Park, Kingston, Jamaica