Lockdown, IPL and future of MSD

Mumbai, April 11

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The 13th edition of the Indian Premier League was set to be a testing ground for former skipper MS Dhoni, with even head coach Ravi Shastri believing this.

However, with the nationwide lockdown set to be extended beyond April 14, the fate of the IPL hangs in the balance, as does Dhoni’s future. Former England skipper Nasser Hussain believes that it is best to not push Dhoni into retirement because once he is gone, there will be no coming back.

“Is Dhoni still good enough to get into the Indian side? It is as simple as that. That should apply for anyone across the board. What I have seen of Dhoni, I still think he has a huge amount to offer to Indian cricket,” Hussain said during a TV interview. “Yes, there have been one or two occasions where he has got it wrong in run chases, like that World Cup game against England. But in general, Dhoni is still a really good talent.”

“And be careful what you wish for because once Dhoni is gone, there is no getting him back,” he said. “There are some legends of the game who are once in a generation cricketers, don’t push him into retirement early. Only Dhoni knows his mental state and in the end selectors select.”

Bleak chances: Srikkanth

Former India chief selector K Srikkanth said Dhoni’s chances of being picked in India’s T20 World Cup squad will be “very, very bleak” if the 13th IPL doesn’t take place.

“I am not going to be diplomatic. I am talking about if I was the chairman of the selection committee, what would I do. If the IPL does not happen then his (Dhoni’s) chances are very, very bleak,” said Srikkanth

Dhoni last played for India in the World Cup semifinal against New Zealand last July.

Set to be postponed

The IPL is headed towards an indefinite postponement as the country braced for a lockdown extension to contain the Covid-19 pandemic.

The BCCI has been waiting for an official announcement from the centre, but with the chief ministers of various states making it clear that another extension is on the cards, India’s richest sports body is left with no option but to postpone it further.

The number of confirmed novel coronavirus cases in the country has crossed 8000 with 259 fatalities so far. However, it remained unclear whether the board will formally announce the postponement before April 15, the date till which the event was pushed back last month.

“Three states — Punjab, Maharashtra and Karnataka — have already said that they are extending lockdown. It is implied that IPL can’t happen for the time being. But it will certainly not be cancelled. It will be postponed indefinitely,” said a BCCI official on the condition of anonymity. The IPL was originally scheduled to be held between March 29 and May 24, but was postponed initially till April 15 due to the coronavirus outbreak.

“We can’t cancel IPL as it means losses to the tune of Rs3000 crore. The BCCI will work with all stakeholders to find a solution but for that normalcy needs to return. It’s not possible for BCCI bigwigs to commit that IPL can happen at which particular slot,” he added. — Agencies