Michael Hussey Warns Critics Against Writing Off MS Dhoni

Former Australia batsman Micheal Hussey has warned the critics against writing off MS Dhoni. Hussey, who played with the former India skipper for Chennai Super Kings, said that MS Dhoni has given so much to India as a player and leader and is a champion cricketer.

He also said that the ongoing sabbatical would provide the wicketkeeper-batsman with an opportunity to introspect and see whether he wants to play again for the Indian national team. MS Dhoni has not played a single competitive game since the World Cup semifinal in July last year.

As soon as the tournament ended, he took an indefinite sabbatical from the game. The sabbatical would have ended in this year’s Indian Premier League which was scheduled to start on March 29. MS Dhoni had also started training for the tournament before it was suspended in the light of the pandemic.

“I am obviously not an Indian selector but I don’t think you can discount MSD. You should never write off champions and champion players, and he has given so much to the country as a player and leader,” Hussey said during ‘HotSpot: The Cricket Podcast’ by Deep Dasgupta.

“He (Dhoni) still keeps himself in very good shape so as long as he keeps himself fit and healthy, and maybe this break is really helpful for him to rest and get a break especially from the physical side of things…because he has so much experience.

“It will take time to get his skills to the required level but not as long as other players who don’t know their game as well. He has a great understanding of his own game and the whole game in general. I am not worried about the skilled perspective,” Hussey added.

The cricket fraternity has been quite busy in discussing MS Dhoni’s future and whether he would play in the next T20 World Cup. Speaking about that, Hussey said everything depends on MS Dhoni himself.

“The only question is it is up to MSD himself really. Whether he is willing to be physically and mentally fully engaged to play for the country at the international level, then I have no doubt he can still do it. But does he want to do it?” Hussey said.

“Maybe this forced break for MSD will give him an opportunity to mentally refresh (in that regard) and get that hunger to want to do it again (for India). I am not writing him off no question whatsoever, but I think it is up to him, and in his mind, in his heart, whether he still wants to do it (at the international level),” Hussey added.

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