Dhoni had requested for a two-month sabbatical from the game to serve his paramilitary regiment.
Amid mounting speculation around his international retirement after India’s semi-final ouster from the recently held ICC Cricket World Cup, veteran wicketkeeper batsman MS Dhoni had told the BCCI that he will take a two-month sabbatical from the game to serve his paramilitary regiment.
On Sunday (July 21), chief selector MSK Prasad announced Team India’s multiple squads for the upcoming West Indies tour and clarified that Dhoni was not available for selection in the limited-overs leg of the trip.
However, as per a report published in The Indian Express, Dhoni’s request to serve his Territorial Army battalion hasn’t been approved yet. Report also claims that a decision on the application will be made as early as Monday (July 22).
“Only after a decision is taken by the Army authorities, can the scope, duration, venue and charter of his training with his battalion be finalised,” Army sources quoted as saying by The Indian Express.
It is pertinent to mention here that Dhoni was appointed an honorary lieutenant colonel in 2011 with the 106 Infantry Battalion – which is currently deployed in Jammu and Kashmir. It is affiliated with the Parachute Regiment. Dhoni has carried out five parachute jumps, as necessary for any qualified paratrooper in the Army.