Selectors were right to leave out MS Dhoni: Ajit Agarkar

Former Indian captain Ajit Agarkar has come upfront in support of the Indian selector’s decision of not picking up veteran cricketer MS Dhoni in the Indian T20I squads for the series against West Indies and Australia

Former Indian cricketer Ajit Agarkar has come upfront in support of the Indian selector’s decision of not picking up veteran cricketer MS Dhoni in the Indian T20I squads for the series against West Indies and Australia. However, the 37-year-old, who is currently playing in the five-match ODI series against Windies is likely to be included in the Indian squad for the three-match ODI series against Australia; keeping in mind the fact that he will play next year’s World Cup in England and Wales.

Agarkar has put forth Dhoni's longevity with the team as a reason for his exclusion, until the next edition of the World T20 slated to take place in 2020. He also feels that the selectors have taken this decision keeping in mind the future events. Also, Dhoni’s performance in the shortest format of the game hasn’t been up to the mark by any means.

“The selectors said it’s not the end of the road for him in T20s, which I don’t quite understand. But it’s the right decision as the next T20 World Cup will take place in 2020 and you don’t quite know whether he’s going to last till then. I don’t think his performances his T20 cricket have been good enough or maybe you don’t need him as much as perhaps everyone says that they need him.

You’ve got to look forward. When he was the captain, he moved some of the guys and that shows it should be. It doesn’t matter how great the player has been in his career. Eventually, you’ve got to be in the present, which sometimes gets lost,” Agarkar was quoted as saying in ESPNcricinfo.

“The selectors might have to answer a bit about what this rest means in T20 cricket, but it seems to be the right call,” the Mumbai chief selector added.