Dhoni should be in the scheme of things: Venkatapathy Raju
What's the story
Former India spinner Venkatapathy Raju believes Mahendra Singh Dhoni will have strenuous road ahead, but should be in the scheme of things for future. Raju was a part of selection committee which appointed Dhoni captain for the World T20 in 2007. He also revealed why Dhoni was picked for the captaincy role ahead of other senior players. Here is more.
Quote
Dhoni has been a match-winner for 15 years, says Raju
"He has been a match-winner for 15 years, but for any international sportsperson to come back after such a long break is difficult. Dhoni should be in the scheme of things based on performances in the IPL," Raju was as quoted by The Hindu.
Exile
Dhoni has been away from international cricket since July 2019
Dhoni has not featured in competitive cricket since India's semi-final exit from the ICC World Cup 2019. The World Cup-winning captain, who completed his two-week stint in the Indian army as a part of his prolonged exile, later made himself unavailable for several bilateral limited-overs series. The 38-year-old was also removed from the list of centrally contracted players earlier.
IPL 2020
IPL 2020 was deemed as his mini audition for comeback
With growing uncertainty around the upcoming IPL edition, Dhoni's hopes of comeback seem bleak at the moment. IPL 2020 has been postponed from March 29 to April 15 in the wake of coronavirus pandemic. Dhoni was seen practicing in the training camps of Chennai Super Kings at the MA Chidambaram Stadium earlier this month. However, he later departed after the suspension of camps.
2007
Dhoni's demeanour impressed the selection panel in 2007
Raju stated that the selection panel was impressed with Dhoni's ability to perform under pressure and hence made him captain in 2007. "The guiding principle for our panel was simple. Only consistent performers and match-winners would be considered," he said. He added, "Dhoni's calmness and the way he handled things impressed all of us. It was a unanimous decision. We had no regrets."