MS Dhoni's international career is over, according to this former India batsman. However, he also thinks that one of the three men connected with Indian cricket would have persuade Dhoni to play again for India, in the T20 World Cup
Bengaluru: Former India opening batsman Aakash Chopra feels Mahendra Singh Dhoni has played his last match for India. However, he doesn’t rule out Dhoni coming back only if one of the three men connected with Indian cricket picks up the phone and insists on him playing the T20 World Cup later this year.
Dhoni has not played for India since July 2019 where he featured in India’s ICC World Cup 2019 semi-final against New Zealand in England. Chopra reckons that contest is the last of Dhoni’s international career.
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“MS Dhoni has not told anyone anything. Dhoni has a different story. Though he has not called it a day, what almost everyone thinks is that he might return to the Indian team if he performs well in the IPL (2020). But I personally feel he played his final match for India at Manchester against New Zealand (in World Cup 2019),” Chopra told on his YouTube channel while answering a question on Dhoni from former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja.
He added. “Since then, he has not made himself available to the team. He has not been dropped. He has not said anything. I feel he has made up his mind that he is no longer going to play for India.”
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Chopra felt BCCI president Sourav Ganguly, captain Virat Kohli or coach Ravi Shastri may have to persuade Dhoni to come and play the T20 World Cup or else the former skipper’s career is over.
He said, “Unless, of course, Sourav Ganguly, Virat Kohli or Ravi Shastri pick up the phone and tell Dhoni to help the team out in the T20 World Cup. If they tell Dhoni that they want him to play the World Cup, then there is a chance he could return.
“Otherwise, in my opinion, Dhoni has made up his mind that ‘I am not going to play, I don’t need a farewell match. I came quietly, I will leave quietly’. He doesn’t need grandstanding. He is that kind of a player. He doesn’t want any noise. If the T20 World Cup gets pushed (to next year), then I don’t think you will see Dhoni in India’s blue jersey.”
IPL 2020 has been deferred till April 15 due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. When IPL happens, Dhoni will captain Chennai Super Kings (CSK). Recently, he attended an IPL preparatory camp with CSK in Chennai.
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