Anil Kumble feels that MS Dhoni’s future with the Indian team and his inclusion or exclusion from the squad that travels to Australia for the 2020 World T20 may depend upon how the veteran wicketkeeper does in the 2020 Indian Premier League (IPL).
“It’s all about how MS (Dhoni) goes about the IPL and if at all the Indian team believes that they need these services for the World Cup, then from there on he may be a part of the team. But we will have to wait and see,” Kumble told CricketNext.
The spin legend, who was Dhoni’s predecessor as captain of the Indian Test team, said that the management should be exploring specialist wicket-takers as opposed to looking at all-rounders.
“I certainly believe that you need wicket-taking bowlers and someone like a Kuldeep (Yadav) and (Yuzvendra) Chahal need to be a part of that in my view. Yes, there are instances where you know the ball gets wet because of the dew, then is it right for two wrist-spinners to be there,” he said.
“It is very important that you need to start looking out for wicket-taking options. If it means that you need to bring in just fast bowlers who you believe will pick up wickets, rather than looking at all-rounders, which I think this team is looking for; I think that’s the critical aspect.”
Kumble also said that how good a player is able to play in Australian conditions should also go a long way into the selection process.
“It’s very important that India starts thinking about who will perform in Australian conditions and who is that bowler who has the ability to pick up wickets because that’s what will put pressure on the opposition,” he said.
He said regardless of what option India take, they need to have a finalised team “at least 10-12 matches prior to the World Cup”.