Problems For MS Dhoni Will Further Increase If The IPL Does Not Take Place: Madan Lal

The 13th edition of the IPL was supposed to take place from March 29th with defending champions Mumbai Indians squaring off against MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings at the Wankhede Stadium.

But the steadily escalating situation with regards to COVID-19 forced the Board of Control for Cricket in India [BCCI] to postpone the tournament till April 15th after the Indian government placed stringent restrictions with regards to the issuance of visa for foreigners.

With India entering in its second lockdown phase, the possibility of the IPL taking place in the near future is looking like a distant dream and if the tournament is canceled, it would come as a huge blow to the chances of MS Dhoni making it to the Indian team for the T20 World Cup.

Former Indian cricketer and the current member of the Cricket Advisory Committee(CAC) Madan Lal feels that problems for Dhoni will only increase if the IPL does not go ahead as he hasn’t played any cricket since the 2019 World Cup.

“See, there are problems for MS Dhoni. He has not played cricket post-World Cup. If the IPL does not happen, problems for MSD will further increase. I don’t know what the team management, Ravi Shastri, Virat Kohli or the selectors are thinking,” Madan Lal told Asian News International [ANI].

Also Read: MS Dhoni Still Has A Lot Of Cricket Left In Him: Suresh Raina

MS Dhoni has not played a competitive game since the 2019 World Cup

If the IPL does not go ahead, the only possible route for MS Dhoni will be to force his way back into the national team by playing domestic cricket for Jharkhand. But the chances of that happening look pretty bleak as the former Indian captain hasn’t turned out for his state for more than three years now.

Dhoni was sweating it out in the pre-season camp of the Chennai Super Kings leading into the 13th edition of the IPL. His teammate Suresh Raina had recently revealed that Dhoni was timing the ball pretty well besides batting for more than two hours in the sweltering heat of Chennai, asserting that the former captain still has a lot of cricket left in him. Earlier, India head coach Ravi Shastri had said that the chances of Dhoni making it to the Indian team depends on how he and his fellow wicket-keepers perform in the IPL.

Also Read: CSK Will Involve MS Dhoni In Some Way Or Other Once He Retires: Mike Hussey