Mahendra Singh Dhoni talks about playing in the Big Bash League
India’s one-day international (ODI) captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has refused to rule out a future spell in the Big Bash League (BBL). The hard hitting-batsman said he would need to make sure his body was up to the demands of the high-paced T20 game in Australia.
No Indian player has featured in the BBL because the all-powerful BCCI does not want any of its contracted players to take part in a rival League. Dhoni has now retired from Test cricket and in a position to sort out his options outside India more than he did before.
“We'll see how the future goes. It depends on when I retire”- Dhoni
When asked about the prospect of a BBL spell given the league's overwhelming success, the 34 year old kept his cards close but did not completely rule out the proposition.
Dhoni said, "It's very difficult for me, we are quite focused on international cricket as of now. We'll see how the future goes. It depends on when I retire, whether I'm in a position to play international cricket because the Big Bash, if you see the quality of cricket, is high so a lot depends on the physical fitness and also the ability to carry on and play more cricket. When you play for 10 to 15 years at times you feel you have played too much cricket, so we'll have to wait and watch and it will depend on the retirement whether a Big Bash appearance comes."
I am looking forward to get good competitive cricket in Australia: Dhoni
When asked about the upcoming challenge, the wicketkeeper-batsman said he is looking forward to get good competitive cricket.
The Ranchi born cricketer said, "I feel they are a very good side and the same is happening to us. Australia is a place where you get good competitive cricket and I feel that actually helps you gain experience much faster. I think it'll be a win-win scenario for both teams when it comes to going through this phase. Australia are known to play tough cricket irrespective of who they are competing against which means it gives our youngsters a fair amount of exposure."
The last time the two countries faced off was in the World Cup semi-final in March. Australia won that match thanks to a superb hundred from Steve Smith.
The Indian captain didn't want to use the word "revenge" in reference to the World Cup defeat. He said, "You want to compete, you want to win games, because at the end of the day you're representing your country. At the same time you want to follow the guidelines and the spirit of the game."
Meanwhile, the Decision Review System (DRS) will not be used during the one-day series between India and Australia. The BCCI remained firm on its anti-technology stance. President Shashank Manohar said in December unless DRS became "foolproof" the Indians would continue to refuse the technology in any bilateral series despite the fact it is accepted by every other board.