IPL or not, MS Dhoni will return if India needs him, opines Aakash Chopra

The widespread COVID-19 outbreak has cast a shadow on the future of the India Premier League (IPL) as the chances of the cash-rich league happening on April 15, the postponed date, now seem slim. But with the chances of cancellation of the league comes a yet bigger question one that concerns former India skipper MS Dhoni.

IPL was slated to be the grand stage where Dhoni comes back from his sabbatical and lays out his case for the upcoming T20 World Cup and now it seems unlikely that things will go according to plan. Former India batsman Aakash Chopra shared that IPL was never in contention to serve as the yardstick to measure Dhoni’s performance for the upcoming gala event Down Under.

The renowned commentator opined that if India needs Dhoni and he makes himself available, then irrespective of IPL or no IPL, the wicket-keeper batsman will board the flight to Australia. Chopra added that a mere IPL season would never have had been able to justify the selection of an immensely experienced campaigner like Dhoni.

"For a player like Dhoni, IPL was never going to be a yardstick. If he had scored runs in the IPL, experts would have been like 'select Dhoni', 'do this and do that'. MS Dhoni knows what he is doing, whether he wants to come back or not," Chopra said in a YouTube video, reported India Today.

"IPL, I don't think was a critical factor. If he wants to come back, he will make himself available, if the selectors decide to pick him, he will be picked automatically because you won't get experience in supermarkets.

"Dhoni is a hugely experienced player. If India needs MS Dhoni, then with or without IPL, he will come back."

Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Sourav Ganguly confirmed that the Indian cricket board will adopt a wait and watch approach when it comes to the future of the IPL and said that the 'first priority is safety'.