If MS Dhoni doesn’t do well in IPL then door is definitely shut: Dean Jones
The last time former India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni was seen on the cricket field was back in 2019 during India’s crushing semi-final loss to New Zealand in the World Cup. Former Australian batsman Dean Jones believes that MS Dhoni’s only way back into the Indian team is by having a phenomenal time in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
The good news for MS Dhoni’s fans is that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have confirmed that the 13th edition of the IPL will indeed go ahead and be held from September 19 to November 8 in the United Arab Emirates.
“At the moment it looks like the Indian selectors are going with Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul. If Dhoni has a wonderful IPL then he’s away, but if he doesn’t do well in the next IPL then perhaps his door is definitely shut. But, he’s left the door open,” Dean Jones was quotes as saying by timesofindia.com.
MS Dhoni has been part of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) since the inaugural 2008 season. He has so far played in 190 IPL games and has tallied 4432 runs at an average of 42.2 and strike-rate of 137.85 with 23 fifties.
The CSK skipper led from the front with the bat in the last two seasons of the IPL. MS Dhoni scored 416 runs in 15 matches at an average of 83.2 last season while in 2018, the Indian wicketkeeper made 455 runs in 16 games at an average of 75.83 and strike-rate of over 150.
MS Dhoni is a 'great': Dean Jones
Dean Jones felt that MS Dhoni is still good enough to represent the country and the extended break due to coronavirus pandemic might actually work in his favour.
The 2019 World Cup semi-final was MS Dhoni’s 350th ODI match. The 39-year-old has 10773 ODI runs at an average of 50.57 with ten hundreds and 73 fifties. In T20 cricket, MS Dhoni has 98 games under his belt with 1617 runs at an average of 37.6.
Dean Jones, who turned out in 164 ODIs for Australia, said that India currently needs a finisher, and he thinks that Hardik Pandya could be the man for the job.
“He (Dhoni) is an absolute superstar. He is a ‘great’. So, I have always felt, with the greats, to tend to let them do what they want to do, but at the moment they are leaning towards K.L. Rahul and Rishabh Pant. But, India’ biggest problem is still a finisher. Who is your finisher? Hardik-Pandya — yes. Just comes down to your balance — who’s hot and who’s not,” Dean Jones said.