Former India Selector Asks MS Dhoni To Make Way For Youngsters
Published - 01 Aug 2020, 12:20 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:32 AM
Table of Contents
There is absolutely no clarity over MS Dhoni’s future in international cricket. The former India skipper has not played a single competitive game since his last appearance for Team India which came in last year’s World Cup semifinal against New Zealand in July.
As soon as the World Cup ended, MS Dhoni took an indefinite sabbatical from the game which is yet to end. The sabbatical would have ended in March this year during the IPL but the tournament had to be postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. MS Dhoni will finally return to action next month when the IPL starts on September 19 in the UAE.
‘MS Dhoni past his best’:
While only time will tell how MS Dhoni’s career in international cricket ends, former India allrounder Roger Binny feels it is time for the veteran wicketkeeper-batsman to make way for the younger generation. Binny believes the 38-year old’s fitness is on the wane and that he no longer is the same impact player he once was.
Binny, who has also served as a selector in the past, expressed his opinion based on what he’s seen of Dhoni in the past couple of years and is convinced that India’s most successful ODI captain is ‘past his best.’
“Seeing him the last couple of seasons, he (MS Dhoni) is past the best cricket of his and what he’s capable of doing – turning around matches from losing positions, with sheer intelligence and power. And the way he motivated his players too,” Binny told SportsKeeda in an interview.
“He’s lost a bit of fitness and there are younger players coming through the system. He’s past his best really, and he would be the right judge for that,” he added.
At the same time, Binny praised Dhoni for being a champion cricketer and having a wonderful demeanour. The former India international, who won the World Cup in 1983, revealed Dhoni always had tremendous respect for senior cricketers and those in charge.
“One thing we admired MS Dhoni for was that he had great respect for past cricketers. He was a very down-to-earth person and had a lot of respect and time for cricketers. He’d come and discuss with you and tell you what he wanted,” Binny stated.
“He was the man on the field and we had to give him what he wanted but he wouldn’t demand it. He’d speak with the Chairman and the selectors and we didn’t have any arguments or fights. It was excellent to work with him,” he added.
Also Read: Australia, England Players Set To Miss First Week Of IPL 2020
Also Read: Rahul Dravid Explains Reason Behind BCCI’s Desperation To Conduct IPL 2020 Amid Pandemic