Says will definitely play on as long as his fitness aids him.
When Mahendra Singh Dhoni stepped down as India’s ODI and T20i captain on 5th January 2017 before the ODI series against England, speculation was rife as to how long would he continue playing for the national side since he wasn’t at the helm of affairs any longer. At an event in Delhi, Dhoni commented on the probability of him playing on till the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup at an interaction with fans.
Dhoni was expected to play the ICC Champions Trophy in June and take a call on his future. However, Dhoni believes that if he is able to maintain his current fitness, he can easily play on after the 2019 World Cup as well. Asked whether he was 100 percent sure of playing till the 2019 World Cup, he replied “There’s nothing called 100 per cent. The reason being, we are in 2017, 2019 is two years (from now). A lot can change in two years, especially when you have played cricket for over 10 years and seeing India cricket team’s schedule, it is a very tough schedule.
Speaking on the rigours of a tight schedule every year, Dhoni continued, “Uske baad aap thode vintage car ban jate hai (After that you become a vintage car). A lot of caring is needed. Sitting how I am today, yes, the way I am today, I can easily go beyond that (2019 World Cup in England).”
What this means for Indian cricket:
It’s been more than 2 years since Dhoni gave up on the longer format to prolong his career in limited overs cricket. In spite of him stepping down as captain, Dhoni’s services are invaluable to the Indian team. Apart from his exceptional keeping and batting skills, Dhoni brings years of experience and innovative tactics to the Indian setup. He probably is the best wicket-keeper in the world in limited-overs cricket and has done a commendable job maintaining his fitness even though he is on the cusp of turning 36. His running between the wickets and ability to hit out of the park is unmatched. He recently led a young inexperienced Jharkhand team to the semi-finals of the Vijay Hazare Trophy and played a few attacking knocks at number 6.
A snap of Dhoni running between wickets from Vijay Hazare trophy.
This announcement from Dhoni has certainly raised the spirits of the Indian cricket fans. After all, who doesn’t like to watch Mahi play!
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