Dhoni left out of T20 series versus WI, Australia
PUNE:Indian selectors left out MS Dhoni from the T20 squads to play three matches each against West Indies at home and in Australia. In what seemed to suggest a change in outlook of the selectors, young Rishabh Pant was picked as the stumper in both squads.
Dhoni, skipper of India’s victorious 2007 World T20 and 2011 ODI World Cup squads, has struggled in his role as an impact batsman in the shorter formats. The wicketkeeper-batsman, aiming to stretch his career until the 2019 World Cup in England, has come under criticism due to his inability to push the scoring and at 37, is clearly under pressure from the impressive Pant.
Dhoni’s exclusion also comes after confusion caused due to his non-participation in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. The selection committee chairman, MSK Prasad, had asserted that Dhoni will play in the knockout stages of the one-day tournament, only for the Jharkhand coach to announce later that Dhoni didn’t want to rock the settled unit.
“Dhoni is not playing here and in Australia because we are looking at the option of a second wicketkeeper. That will be between Rishabh Pant and Dinesh Karthik,” Prasad, a former India stumper, said during a media interaction after announcing four squads, including India A squad to go on a shadow tour of New Zealand. When asked whether it was the end of the road for Dhoni in T20s, Prasad said: “No, not yet.”
Pant has been included in the ongoing ODI series against West Indies purely as a batsman, though it is seen as the selectors’ effort to provide the team management with a second wicketkeeper with India in the final phase of World Cup build up.
VIRAT RESTED
Prasad’s panel has also rested skipper Virat Kohli for the home T20 series against West Indies that will following the ODIs. Rohit Sharma, who led India to victory in the Asia Cup ODI tournament last month, has been named skipper. However, Kohli will return to captain the side in the Australia T20s.
The selection panel also sprang a surprise by recalling opener Murali Vijay into the Test squad for the four-match series in Australia starting on December 6. Vijay, 34, was dropped for the third Test in England and excluded from the squad for the last two matches due to poor form. However, the batsman complained of a lack of communication from the selection panel.
Rohit Sharma, dropped after failing in South Africa, has been recalled for the Australia Tests after showing stupendous form in the Asia Cup and the ODIs against West Indies.
However, Shikhar Dhawan -he was dropped for the West Indies Tests and Prithvi Shaw given his debut – has not made the cut in the 18-member squad named.
All-rounder, Kedar Jadhav has been recalled for the final two ODIs against West Indies after missing the first two games due to injury and then proving his fitness in the Deodhar Trophy.