NEW DELHI: After TOI reported that ODI and T20 captain MS Dhoni could play for India till the 2019 World Cup in England, the national selection committee too has backed the idea. Sources said selectors don’t want to change the current hierarchy of the ODI team and would be quite happy if Dhoni continues to play for India till the 2019 World Cup.
“It would make the job of the selectors easy if Dhoni continues to play the way he is playing today. His fitness level is as good as a newcomer’s in the team. He seems to be getting better with age and none of the selectors have discussed leaving out Dhoni in the future. He is an essential member of the ODI team and there is no one in sight who can replace him,” a source in the selection committee told TOI on Tuesday.
Of course, the selectors would still want to take a good look at the team after the 2017 Champions Trophy and speak to Dhoni about his future plans. “If Dhoni is willing to play for another three years, it would be good for the team. His motivation level is still good and the day he feels he is not able to make a difference, he will certainly not continue to play cricket at the highest level,” the source added.
The selectors are also not in a hurry to take a call on the ODI team’s captaincy issue, because “none can come close to Dhoni’s astute captaincy when it comes to the shorter versions of the game”. Dhoni is now also batting higher up the order, which the selectors feel has given extra edge to India’s batting. It was also revealed that Yuvraj Singh and Gautam Gambhir could also get back in the fray for selection if they continue to perform.