Gautam Gambhir Opens Up On Chances of MS Dhoni's Comeback If IPL Is Cancelled
Gautam Gambhir and MS Dhoni (Photo-EssentiallySports)

Former Indian captain MS Dhoni has been on a sabbatical from competitive cricket since July 2019. The former World Cup-winning skipper last turned out for the Men in Blue in the semi-final of the 50-over World Cup in England last summer where he was unfortunately run-out in what was a chastening defeat for Virat Kohli’s men.

Since then, Dhoni has made himself unavailable for selection and with every series that India played post the quadrennial event, mystery around the International future of the former wicketkeeper-batsman has only deepened. MS Dhoni was supposed to make a comeback to competitive cricket with the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League where a good season would have paved way for the return to the national side.

Gautam Gambhir Opens Up On Chances of MS Dhoni's Comeback If IPL Is Cancelled
MS Dhoni Image Credits: Reuters

But, with the IPL unlikely to happen any time soon, the chances of Dhoni making his comeback to the Indian team for the impending 2020 T20 World Cup have dimmed, feels former Indian opener and World Cup-winner Gautam Gambhir.

“If the IPL does not happen this year, then it will become very difficult for MS Dhoni to make a comeback. On what basis can he be selected since he’s not been playing for the last one or one and a half year,” Gambhir said during Star Sports show ‘Cricket Connected’

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Gautam Gambhir names KL Rahul as MS Dhoni’s successor

A lot has changed in Indian cricket since Dhoni’s last International fixture. Southpaw Rishabh Pant, thanks to his indifferent form with both bat and behind the wickets, is no longer India’s first-choice keeper, with opener KL Rahul taking over the mantle from the Delhi cricketer. And, Gambhir feels that the Karnataka wicketkeeper-batsman is the ideal replacement for Dhoni.

Gautam Gambhir Opens Up On Chances of MS Dhoni's Comeback If IPL Is Cancelled
KL Rahul. Credit: Getty Images

“The apt replacement for Dhoni could be KL Rahul. Ever since he has donned the ’keeper’s gloves in white-ball cricket, I’ve seen his performance, both batting and ’keeping. Obviously his keeping is not as good as Dhoni’s, but if you are looking at T20 cricket, Rahul’s a utility player, can keep and bat at No. 3 or 4,” he added.

He added: ‘If the IPL does not happen, then MS Dhoni’s chances for a comeback look dim. Ultimately, you are representing India, so whoever dishes out the best performance and can win the match for India should play for the team,”

Also Read: 8 Instances When MS Dhoni Came Up with Savage Replies In Press-Conferences

Earlier, Head Coach Ravi Shastri had said that the selection of Dhoni in the T20 World Cup depends on how and his contemporaries fare in the IPL, but with the tournament now in serious jeopardy due to COVID-19, it remains to be seen what will be the team-management’s approach if the IPL is cancelled.

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