MS Dhoni Can End ODI Career Shortly, Still T20 World Cup Contender, Says Ravi Shastri

“I have had a conversation with MS and that is between us. He has finished his Test career, he may soon end his ODI career… In all probability, he will finish one-day cricket,” Ravi Shastri told CNN News 18.

“People must respect that he’s played non-stop in all formats of the game for a while”

“At his age, probably the only format he’ll want to play is T20 cricket which means he’ll have to start playing again, get back into the groove because he’s going to play in the IPL and see how his body reacts.”

Shastri also said the 38-year-old veteran stumper who led India to two World Cup wins – the 2007 T20 World Cup and the 2011 ODI World Cup – could still be a contender for the T20 World Cup later this year if he does well in the upcoming IPL 2020.

“So he will be left with T20, he will surely play the IPL. One thing I know about MS Dhoni is that he will not force himself on the team. But if he has a cracking IPL, well, then.”

Dhoni’s last outing in India colours was druing the World Cup semifinal against New Zealand in July where he was run out following a half century.

The Indian head coach Ravi Shastri said form and experience will be taken into consideration while selecting the team for the shortest format’s biggest event.

“We will have to consider the person’s experience and form. They will bat in the number 5-6 position. If Dhoni plays well in the IPL then he does put himself in contention.”

MS Dhoni, who is on a vacation right now, has played in 350 ODIs, 90 Tests and 98 T20 Internationals for the Indian cricket team while effecting a whooping 829 dismissals behind the stumps.

His career has been studded with several milestones, including leading India to the World Cup trophy in 2011 where he finished the trophy battle with a six.

Ravi Shastri, like some of the game’s greatest such as Sachin Tendulkar and Ricky Ponting, opposed the idea as the conversation turned to four-day Tests.