Former Australian batsman turned commentator Dean Jones believes that MS Dhoni’s performance in the blockbuster Indian Premier League (IPL) will be crucial to his future in Indian colours. However, the cricket pundit added that the enforced break owing to the coronavirus pandemic might just end up helping Dhoni.
“At the moment it looks like the Indian selectors are going with Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul. If Dhoni has a wonderful IPL then he’s away, but if he doesn’t do well in the next IPL then perhaps his door is definitely shut,” Jones told TOI.
“But, he’s left the door open. This break might be fantastic for him. He has had a really good break and if he wants to come back out of this — trust me as you get older it gets more difficult to come back from a break,” he added.
Notably, Dhoni last played competitive cricket during the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 post which he has refrained from any sort of cricketing action. MS was set to feature in IPL 2020 originally scheduled to commence in March but the outbreak of COVID-19 postponed and now it is expected to start in September in UAE.
“He (MS Dhoni) is an absolute superstar. He is a ‘great’. So, I have always felt, with the greats, to tend to let them do what they want to do, but at the moment they are leaning towards K.L. Rahul and Rishabh Pant. But, India’ biggest problem is still a finisher. Who is your finisher? Hardik-Pandya — yes. Just comes down to your balance — who’s hot and who’s not,” said Jones.