Former Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly is not surprised with the exclusion of wicket-keeper batsman Mahendra Singh Dhoni from team T20I squad for the upcoming three-match T20I series against West Indies and Australia.
Sourav Ganguly believes MS Dhoni should play for Jharkhand in the Ranji Trophy to fine-tune his game and get ready for the challenges that lie ahead going into the International Cricket Council (ICC) 2019 World Cup.
“I am not surprised that MS Dhoni has been dropped from the T20 squad because his performance hasn’t been great. If you see the 2020 World T20, I don’t think Dhoni will play that far and that’s why the selectors have given chance to Rishabh Pant who is in a good form,” Sourav Ganguly told IndiaTV.
After announcing the squad, speaking to the media chairman of selectors MSK Prasad had said that Dhoni had been excluded as the team is looking to fill in the second wicketkeeper’s slot going into the 2020 World T20.
While Ganguly is not surprised with Dhoni’s exclusion, the 46-year-old still believes that Dhoni should be given enough matches considering that the selectors are looking to play him in the 2019 World Cup.
“I have one issue here… I feel if the selectors are going to stick with Dhoni till the 2019 World Cup, then I think he should be given enough matches. He doesn’t play domestic cricket so after the last ODI against West Indies, Dhoni will next play in Australia in the ODI series and after that against New Zealand. That’s a long gap in cricket,” Ganguly added.
Ganguly also said national selectors should ask MS Dhoni to play for Jharkhand in the Ranji Trophy so that the wicketkeeper-batsman is match-fit.
“The selectors should ask him to play in Ranji Trophy so that he stays in touch with the game and regains his form back. You might be a big player but if you don’t play regularly, you will end up losing your touch,” Sourav Ganguly concluded.