Ravi Shastri Reveals Another MS Dhoni Movie Coming-Up Shortly

Team India head coach Ravi Shastri has cleared the air on future of former India captain, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and stated that with the current form and fitness the former captain is in, the team management cannot even think of dropping one of the greatest ever limited overs captain and a batsman.

The former skipper played a couple of matches winning innings for the team during the limited overs series in Sri Lanka and looked in complete command behind the stumps. It was during the series when Dhoni became the 1^st ever wicket-keeper in cricket history to inflict 100 ODI stumpings going past former Sri Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara who had 99 stumpings in his illustrious.

Shastri said that with the form and fitness Dhoni is showing there is no doubt about the fact that he will play the 2019 World Cup unless there is a dramatic slump in form and that the wicket-keeper batsman in the central scheme of things going ahead towards the next World Cup. Shastri also put Dhoni in the same bracket with other Indian stalwarts like Sachin Tendulkar, Sunil Gavaskar, and Kapil Dev and said that Dhoni is a legend in his rights.

“Where else will you find a legend like MS Dhoni? Dhoni is in the same league as Gavaskar, Tendulkar or Kapil. We have to respect his achievements,” Shastri told India TV yesterday. Shastri also lauded Dhoni for his brilliant performance in Sri Lanka and said he was still the best ODI wicket keeper in the world.

“A player is evaluated on the basis of his current form and fitness and Dhoni has both. If you see his wicketkeeping, he is the best in ODI cricket. His fitness is superb; he batted well in Sri Lanka. And let me tell you, it was just a trailer what you saw in Sri Lanka now wait for the movie,” he said.

The head coach also stated that if Dhoni can keep on performing like this, then there is no doubt about the fact that he will be a part of the team for the 2019 World Cup.

“If he continues to play like this, there no question of not having him in the team for the 2019 World Cup. You can’t even think of a team without Dhoni,” he said. On inclusion of Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina, Shastri said: “Doors are not closed. They will be inducted only after they are declared fit.”

Meanwhile, the coach also feels that with a hectic schedule all through the year, it is important to have at least a set of 20-25 players who can be played according to rotation policy to minimise the workload on other players. It is practically impossible for a single player to keep on playing all formats.

“I have a problem. The amount of cricket that we are playing, we need at least 20 to 25 players. It is very difficult for a single player to play all forms of cricket. Players need rest.” Shastri also added that he had a word with BCCI to give rest to some of their players after the series against Australia.

“It is better that T20 is organised later since there is hardly any time left for the Sri Lanka series and the South Africa tour.” The head coach said, the first two matches against Australia were vital.

“We have to win the first two matches. These will decide the fate of the series. Australia will get a tough challenge,” he said.