Former Indian skipper MS Dhoni, who guided Indian Team to the ICC World Cup T20 glory in 2007, and later ICC World Cup in 2011, has been excluded from the Indian squad for the upcoming three-match T20I series against the West Indies at home and three-match series against Australia in Down Under and ever since, the move has been widely discussed across the cricketing circles and general quarters alike.
Since the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the Indian squad for the West Indies T20I series, several theories have emerged about Dhoni’s exclusion. However, as per a report published in the Indian Express, the Ranchi wicket-keeper batsman has been told that the selectors have decided to look beyond him as far as T20Is are concerned.
“The selectors before selection meeting had informed Dhoni through the team management that time has come to move on and give a chance to a younger player in the shortest format. Everyone knows that Dhoni might not carry on till 2020 T20 World Cup. Selectors felt the Indian board should start looking for Dhoni’s replacement from now on,” a BCCI source was quoted as saying.
Team for three T20I match series against Australia announced.
Virat Kohli (C), Rohit (vc), Shikhar, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Manish, DK, Rishabh Pant (wk), Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Washington Sundar, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Umesh Yadav, Khaleel
— BCCI (@BCCI) October 26, 2018
MS Dhoni’s name was missing from both the T20I squads that were announced on Friday. In his absence, rookie keeper-batsman Rishabh Pant and Kolkata Knight Riders’ skipper Dinesh Karthik are expected to don the gloves for India.
Team for three T20I match series against Windies announced
Rohit Sharma (C), Shikhar, KL Rahul, DK, Manish, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant (wk), Krunal Pandya, Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Bumrah, Khaleel Ahmed, Umesh Yadav, Shahbaz Nadeem
— BCCI (@BCCI) October 26, 2018
Moments after the T20I squad was announced, chairman of selectors, MSK Prasad had declared that the second wicket-keeper option was being looked at.
“Dhoni is not going to play the six T20s because we are looking at second wicket-keeper. So it will be between Rishabh Pant and Dinesh Karthik and they will get a chance,” Prasad had said.