MS Dhoni Unlikely to be Selected for India’s T20I Home Series Against South Africa

Keeping an eye on the World Cup T20, Indian selectors might go ahead with Rishabh Pant in the team for the home series against South Africa.
Dhoni who missed the West Indies tour due to Army commitments is unlikely to feature in the squad despite his return.

“There are only 22 T20 Internationals before India play their first World T20 game and selectors are clear in their vision that it’s time to move forward,” a senior BCCI official in selection committee told PTI on Wednesday.

“They are planning on getting a pool of three keepers ready for limited-overs, especially T20s,” he added.

“Retirement is an individual decision and selectors or for that matter, no one has any right to decide on that front. But they have every right to decide the roadmap for the 2020 World T20 and that’s to give Rishabh Pant maximum chances,” the official explained.

The selectors might have a talk with Dhoni about his plans just like they did before the West Indies tour.
However, the national selector MSK Prasad called him the best finisher in the team during the press conference before the West Indies tour.

“I can clearly say this that till today MS is the best glovemen and finisher in India in the shorter formats. The others are still work in progress. MS was a big strength to this team in the World Cup both as a batsman and keeper, apart from sharing his vast experience with the team and captain while taking on-field decisions.
I have very clearly told post the selection of the Indian team against West Indies, that we have a plan post World Cup to give as many opportunities as possible to Rishabh and groom him so that he can grow in confidence and perform as per the requirements of the team,” Prasad had said.