If MS Dhoni is drafted in, will it be fair to those who are playing regularly – Irfan Pathan

Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan questioned if former skipper MS Dhoni is drafted back in the Indian team, will it be fair to those who are playing regularly. KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant have been consistently playing for the team in the last one year. In fact, Rahul has grabbed his opportunity in the recent past and has delivered the goods in the limited overs format.

On the other hand, the forthcoming Indian Premier League is expected to play a big role in MS Dhoni’s India’s future. However, as the IPL is set to be cancelled due to the outbreak of coronavirus, Dhoni’s chances of making a comeback into the Indian team looks slim.

Dhoni last played for the team back in the semi-final of the 2019 World Cup against New Zealand. Ergo, it has been a long time since he has played any professional cricket. Furthermore, Dhoni has not played in the domestic circuit.

Irfan Pathan believes MS Dhoni should once again play for India as he has been instrumental in the success of the team over the years. But the BCCI needs to clear the future of the former skipper.

“He obviously needs to play. If he does, he should for India. He is the most amazing cricketer we have. He has been fantastic for the country. He has given so much to the world of cricket. But if he is just drafted in, will it be fair for those who have been playing regularly is an important question. KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant have been playing consistently for a year. So, this question needs to be answered by the board,” Pathan told New Indian Express.

Dhoni has been a huge servant of Indian cricket and he has done a great job for the team in the last 15 years. However, his return to the national team looks unlikely now as IPL is on the verge of cancellation.

The former captain was expected to call it a day after the 2019 World Cup but it wasn’t to be the case. Dhoni decided to take a long break from the game and also made himself unavailable for national selection.

It is also known that Dhoni doesn’t believe in farewell matches as he had quietly moved away from the Test format in 2014 and he is expected to do the same, if he will decide to retire.

Written by: Gautam Chauhan