Don’t push ‘once in a generation’ MS Dhoni into retirement: Former England captain

Former India captain MS Dhoni has been away from cricket since the culmination of World Cup last year. The right-handed batsman was expected to feature for Chennai Super Kings in the 13th edition of Indian Premier League. India head coach Ravi Shastri, in an interview to news agency IANS earlier, had made it clear that IPL performance could make or break the fate of some cricketers who were vying for a spot in the T20I World Cup spot this year.

But now with a complete lockdown in India at least till April 15 due to coronavirus pandemic, the tournament’s fate hangs in the balance. And with it, so does Dhoni’s. Former England skipper Nasser Hussain, on Saturday, said that Indian should not push Dhoni into retirement.

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Speaking on Star Sports’ show Cricket Connected, Hussain said: “Is Dhoni still good enough to get into the Indian side? It is as simple as that. That should apply for anyone across the board. What I have seen of Dhoni, I still think he has a huge amount to offer to Indian cricket. Yes, there have been one or two occasions where he has got it wrong in run chases, like that World Cup game against England. But in general, Dhoni is still a really good talent.”

Hussain further added that if once retired, India could never get Dhoni back again. “And be careful what you wish for because once Dhoni is gone, there is no getting him back. There are some legends of the game who are once in a generation cricketers, don’t push him into retirement early,” he said.

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