It is highly likely that India’s last World Cup match this year might by MS Dhoni’s last national match as well. A senior BCCI official said, “You never know with MS Dhoni. But it is unlikely that he will continue to play for India after this World Cup. But since his decisions to quit captaincy from the three formats have been taken so suddenly, it is very difficult to predict at the moment.”
MS Dhoni’s last national match
Now that India has qualified for the semi-finals at the World Cup, neither the team management nor the BCCI is willing to bring up this sensitive issue. In recent games, Dhoni has maintained a decent strike rate of 93 plus. MS Dhoni’s score has been 223 runs in the last seven games. But what this scorecard is not showing is his inability to rotate the strike as well as his prowess to strike big.
He had gained much of his fame through his reputation as a finisher. But some are saying that his finishing capability has been waning steadily. This was something that had made him the top short format player in the world.
Respected and experienced players like Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly have also been critical of his approach. That is not to discredit his immense contribution on-field. Every player who has appeared for media interactions has highlighted the fact.
A former Indian player said, “The team management had to take a call in 2017 after the Champions Trophy. They decided that they will invest another two years in Dhoni till the 2019 World Cup. India has reached the semi-finals despite his lukewarm performances so he has been carefully shielded.” He added, “No one can ask him to retire but obviously he has got the drift that post World Cup, things won’t be the same.”
