India vs Windies 2018: Virat Kohli Speaks On MS Dhoni's Future In India's T20 Side

India skipper Virat Kohli, on Thursday, allayed any fears surrounding the future of MS Dhoni in T20s after the selectors dropped the veteran for the upcoming series against Windies and Australia.

There is absolutely no denying that Dhoni has been under-performing for quite some time not only in T20Is but also in ODIs.  But the constant backing from the team-management made it clear that Dhoni’s place in the team is safe at least for the recent future. However, the selectors dropped a huge bombshell by dropping Dhoni from the T20 squads, much to everyone’s surprise.

There were also reports suggesting that the selectors have dropped Dhoni because they were looking for other options for the  WorldT20 in 2020. Media reports suggested that the selectors didn’t feel that Dhoni would be playing in the T20 world cup to be held in Australia. Consequently, they decided to drop him.

Dhoni’s poor form and the unexpected snub from the T20I side put a huge question mark over his T20 career.

However, Virat Kohli has rubbished all the reports and said that his predecessor is still an integral part of the team.

“I think the selectors have already addressed this if I’m not wrong. And he’s been spoken to, firstly… So, I don’t see any reason why I should be sitting here and explaining that. I think the selectors have come out and explained exactly what happened. I was not part of that conversation so… It is what the selector explained,” Kohli said at the post-match presser after the win over Windies in the fifth ODI.

“I think people are putting too much variables into the situation, which is not the case I can assure of that. He’s still a very integral part of this team. And he just feels that in the T20 format, someone like Rishabh can get more chances. He anyway plays the ODIs for us regularly.

“From that point of view, he’s only trying to help the youngsters; nothing that anything that other people are thinking and I as captain can certainly assure you of that,” added Kohli.

Chairman of selectors MSK Prasad had also insisted that Dhoni’s T20 career is still not over.

“He [Dhoni] is not going to play the six T20Is [West Indies and Australia] because we are looking at the second keeper’s slot. So I think we will retain Rishabh [Pant] and Dinesh Karthik. So they will be getting a chance to keep and bat. It is not the end of Dhoni in T20Is,” Prasad had said while announcing the squad.

Coming to the fifth ODI, India thrashed Windies by nine wickets to seal the series 3-1. Asked to bowl first, India bowled out the visitors for just 104 runs. In reply, the Men in Blue chased down the total by losing just one wicket.