Chairman of selectors MSK Prasad addressed speculations regarding MS Dhoni's future saying the decision to retire is "purely individual" and must be left to the great cricketer involved.
The outgoing national selection panel on Sunday (July 21) picked squads for India's full tour of the Caribbean where Virat Kohli's men will take on the hosts in three T20Is, three ODIs and two Tests, beginning August 3.
MSK clarified Dhoni was not available for selection in the limited-overs leg of the tour and the selectors are now looking to provide more opportunities across all formats to young Rishabh Pant.
"He [MS Dhoni] is unavailable for this series. he has expressed his unavailability. Having said that, We have certain road maps till the World Cup. Subsequently, post the World Cup, we have laid down few more plans. We thought of giving as many opportunities to Rishabh Pant to see he is groomed. That's our plan right now," Prasad told reporters in Mumbai.
"We did discuss with him [Dhoni's future]. "Retirement is purely individual. A legendary cricketer like MS Dhoni... he knows when to retire. But as far as the future roadmap is considered, that is in the hands of the selectors."
Holding an honorary post of Lieutenant Colonel in the Parachute Regiment of the Territorial Army, Dhoni had requested for a 2-month break as he wanted to join the para regiment. The former skipper had committed to do so even before India's World Cup 2019 campaign in UK.
"We would like to clarify three things. MS Dhoni is not retiring from cricket right now. He is taking a two month sabbatical to serve his paramilitary regiment which he had committed much earlier. We have now intimated his decision to skipper Virat Kohli and chairman of selectors MSK Prasad," a senior BCCI official told PTI on Saturday.
Prasad, meanwhile, gave away how integral Rishabh Pant is to India's future planning with two T20 World Cups and a 50-over World Cup scheduled in the next four years besides the first two cycles of World Test Championship.
"First of all, we don't have to discuss about it (strike rate in World Cup). Secondly, we are grooming youngsters now."
"Rishabh Pant has not done anything wrong for his non-inclusion in the squads. Rishabh Pant is going to play all three formats. So we need to manage his workload. So Wriddhiman Saha and KS Bharat will come into the picture," he concluded.
(Inputs from India Today)
