Ravi Shastri says MS Dhoni’s comeback in team depends on his return and how he does in the IPL 2020

MS Dhoni has not played for Team India since defeat in 2019 World Cup semi-finals.

Ravi Shastri took over as the coach of the Indian team after a tumultuous time during which Virat Kohli and then coach Anil Kumble found themselves at odds in 2017. However, the combination of Shastri and Kohli has done wonders for the Indian team in all formats of the game.

During an interview with the IANS, the former India captain, whose tenure as head coach was renewed, gave an opinion on various topics like when MS Dhoni will return to the team and how did the players cope with India’s exit from the 2019 World cup after the defeat against New Zealand.

Speaking about MS Dhoni’s comeback into the team, Shastri wanted everyone to stop speculating and wait for his performance in the IPL next year. “It all depends on when he starts playing and how he is playing during the IPL. What are the other people doing with the wicket-keeping gloves or what is the form of those players as opposed to Dhoni’s form. The IPL becomes a massive tournament because that could be the last tournament after which more or less your 15 is decided,” he said.

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“There might be one player who might be there and thereabouts in case of an injury or whatever. But your team I would say would be known after the IPL. What I would say is rather than speculating of who is where, wait for the IPL to get over and then you are in a position to take a call on who are the best 17 in the country,” Shastri added.

The Indian team was one of the favorites to win the 2019 World Cup and their campaign in the tournament went wonderfully well with just one defeat against England on their way to facing New Zealand in the semi-finals in Manchester. However, in a chase of a meager total, rain and some amazing bowling from New Zealand pacers dashed the hope of more than a billion fans.

India could never recover from the initial assault despite fighting half-centuries from Ravindra Jadeja and MS Dhoni and India’s tournament ended up on a disappointing note, with players left heartbroken. Shastri talked about the aftermath of the match and said, “The way they have bounced back after those 15 minutes in Manchester. That was a bitter pill to swallow and hurt one and all. But then, the ferocity and intensity they have shown after that in the last three months is unbelievable. This is remarkable and that is why I say if you look back 5-6 years, this will have to be one of the most consistent Indian teams ever across all formats.”

The past can’t be changed, but the road ahead has the World T20 in 2020 and winning that will go a long way in establishing the invincibility tag that has been given to this team under skipper Virat Kohli.

(IANS inputs)