MS Dhoni might not be in contention for World T20 spot, admits Venkatapathy Raju
Former selector Venkatapathy Raju believes that it’s non-negotiable for players to keep playing and performing in order to stay in contention for selection. Raju’s response came when asked if he, as a selector, would have MS Dhoni, who hasn’t played competitive cricket for 8 months, in his plans.
Despite the ongoing Covid-19 outbreak bringing the entirety of the sporting world to a literal standstill, there is one topic that is still being widely discussed by former cricketers and experts alike - the potential selection of MS Dhoni. The 2020 edition of the IPL was supposed to be Dhoni’s pathway to the World T20 squad, but the potential cancellation of the tournament has now put the 38-year-old’s future with the national side in jeopardy.
Scrapping of the IPL would mean that Dhoni would not have played any competitive cricket for close to a year - having last featured in the World Cup semi-final against New Zealand in 2019 - and according to former national selector Venkatapathy Raju, it is imperative that a player keeps playing and performing at the domestic level in order to stay in contention for national selection.
“Any player has to keep playing and performing to be in contention. Be it domestic, India-A series or any other competitive cricket. You don’t have to prove to others, but prove to yourself that you belong there,” Raju told Sportstar.
One of the reasons for the same, the 50-year-old believes, is the demands and the rigours of international cricket, which he feels can expose cricketers should they show signs of being rusty. Raju, who represented India in 28 Tests between 1990 and 2001, pointed to his own example, stating how he struggled when he came back to the national team in 2001 after a three-year hiatus from international cricket.
“Playing international cricket is never easy. It demands a different level of fitness and skills. For that, you have to be in the thick of it. I remember how I struggled coming back into Indian team after a three-year gap because of the totally different kind of intensive training in the Indian team as compared to playing Ranji or other first-class tournaments.”