Speculations are rife over the future of MS Dhoni. Reports are doing the round that MS Dhoni’s retirement is very much on the cards and the former India skipper can wave goodbye to international cricket anytime soon.
MS Dhoni has been under pressure to quit for quite some time now and the pressure has only increased after the World Cup.
The veteran wicket-keeper batsman has been one of the greatest servants of the game India has ever seen but his last wish of winning a third World Cup title for the country remained unfulfilled after India lost the semi-final against New Zealand.
In the World Cup, he struggled against the likes of Afghanistan and England. Those two knocks had made many question the intent of MS Dhoni.
In the semifinal against New Zealand, he did score a fighting 50 but once again used up too many balls for the same.
There are now talks that MS Dhoni’s retirement is just a matter of time.His struggle against spin was exposed on quite a few occasions but despite all the criticism being thrown at him, the 38-year-old played a vital role in India's campaign.
He notched up 273 runs in eight games for the Men in Blue which was the highest by any Indian middle-order batsmen. However, his 'intent' and uncanny approach was questioned throughout the tournament.
Ahead of the selection committee's meeting on July 19, Dhoni's parents have expressed their thoughts on his retirement.
According to the 38-year-old's childhood coach Keshav Banerjee, Dhoni's parents want him to quit cricket and live with them in Ranchi.
Banerjee, who first noticed Dhoni's talent as a good catcher of the ball, played a huge role in transforming him from a goalkeeper to one of the finest wicket-keepers the game has ever seen.
“I went to Dhoni’s house on Sunday and talked to his parents. They said that Dhoni should leave cricket now. I said no, he should play for one more year. It would be better if he leaves after the T20 World Cup. They protested by saying that ‘no who would take care of this big house’. I said when you have taken care of the house for this long, then wait for another year," Banerjee said in a video interview.
The selectors will meet on Friday to announce the squads for the West Indies tour and Dhoni is likely to be rested if he opts against retirement.
However, there have been reports claiming that Dhoni might not be an automatic selection in the team in the shorter formats as the selectors are looking to plan ahead for the ICC World T20 by giving chances to some of the promising youngsters.
Dhoni is yet to travel back to India after the Men in Blue's heartbreaking exit from the ICC World Cup 2019. As per reports, he has not told the team management or the selectors anything regarding his future.
