'I feel MS Dhoni is getting fit out there and will come back in a very big way,' says Suniel Shetty
Famed Bollywood actor Suniel Shetty, in a video released by former Indian cricket Aakash Chopra, backed MS Dhoni to feature in the Indian cricket team's squad for this year's ICC World T20.
Shetty, who is one of the most respected actors in the movie industry is also a big fan and follower of cricket and was also the captain of the Mumbai Heroes cricket team in the Celebrity Cricket League.
The 58-year-old actor joined Chopra in a quick segment where the former picked his ideal playing XI for the World T20 that is slated to be held in October this year.
"Only MS Dhoni for the World Cup"
Shetty named Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul as the openers of his team, followed by Indian captain Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer at No.3 and No.4 respectively. While the actor shared his two cents on the Samson-Pant debate, he felt there was no one better than MS Dhoni to take up the wicketkeeper's spot.
"Between Pant and Samson, I see MS Dhoni and only MS Dhoni for the World Cup. I feel he is getting fit out there and he will be back in a very very big way. Players from across the world feel that if Dhoni is there, it's a strong team. Dhoni will play, he will score in the IPL," Shetty said.
MS Dhoni's last competitive game for the Indian cricket team was during the semifinal against New Zealand at the 2019 World Cup. Since then, MS Dhoni has not stepped onto the cricket field, and with IPL 2020 being postponed until further notice, the former India captain's fans have had to wait longer to see the CSK captain in action.
While Shetty was fixated on having MS Dhoni in his ideal playing XI for the World T20, he also shed light on needing to give Samson a lot more chances at the highest level.
"Pant and Samson are very talented. Samson hasn't got his chances. Pant is supremely talented but he needs to lose 4-5 kg of weight. It's a positive thing I mean to say, but as far as wellness and fitness goes, there's a difference in movement," the actor said.