MS Dhoni has shown great form both with the bat and with the gloves in IPL 2023. Considering MS Dhoni’s recent form, former Indian Coach Ravi Shastri was asked whether he should come out of retirement for the WTC final in the absence of Rishabh Pant to which Shastri came up with a bombastic reply.
The CSK skipper has shown great agility and fitness on the cricket field in the ongoing IPL 2023. He smashed back-to-back sixes against express pace of Mark Wood while he also took on the likes of Joshua Little and Sandeep Sharma in the intense situations of the game.
“Oh ya. He has shown a lot of young keepers in the country with the way he has kept in IPL for someone who doesn’t play first-class cricket,” Ravi Shastri said during his conversation with ESPN Cricinfo.
Once MS makes up his mind, he makes up his mind: Ravi Shastri on whether MS Dhoni should play WTC Final
“Once MS makes up his mind, he makes up his mind. In Test cricket, where he could have easily played for a year or year and a half, if he was statistically driven like our country is,” Ravi Shastri discussed about Dhoni’s thought process.
“He would have loved that 100 Test match mark, that big crowd, nice ceremony, walk around the crowd, say good bye to everyone…he doesn’t want that. He’s like hands up, new man is there, let him be,” the former Indian coach further added.
Team India is badly missing their regular wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant specifically in the test format. The team management gave opportunities to young KS Bharat who has done pretty well behind the wickets but hasn’t scored enough runs with the bat.
Earlier this week, BCCI’s selection committee announced a 15-member squad for the WTC final. KS Bharat is the only genuine wicketkeeper in the squad while KL Rahul too can keep the wickets for the Men in Blue if needed.
Considering the all-important WTC final, cricket pundits believe KL Rahul is the better option compared to KS Bharat considering his ability to play big innings. KL Rahul has donned the gloves in white-ball cricket for quite some time now.
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The WTC final will be played at the Oval in London from June 7 and 11. KL Rahul has a good record in England and has scored a century at The Oval as well which will further strengthen his chances to get selected in Team India’s playing XI for the WTC final.