Former India captain and leg-spin great Anil Kumble is "not sure" whether MS Dhoni fits in the current Indian team and fells the selectors should have a conversation with Dhoni in lead up to next year's T20 World Cup in Australia. Kumble also feels that Dhoni should have a proper send-off, he deserves.
"I'm not really sure. I think Pant has certainly made a lot of claims as a keeper-batsman, especially in the T20 format. So, it's important to have a conversation and you need to have a proper send-off, he certainly deserves that," Kumble told CricketNext when asked if he would like to see Dhoni continue in top flight cricket.
"But having said that, Pant has also shown some inconsistency. That's a call the selectors need to make. Today, in spite of all of that, are you going to back him (Pant) or someone else, or would you look back. I wouldn't but I think it's important that the selectors take a call on that."
Kumble wants the selectors to decide in the next couple of months the way forward.
"...For the team's sake, the selectors need to sit down and have as discussion around what the plans are because it's important that things be communicated. If the selectors believe that Dhoni is in the scheme of things for the T20 World Cup, then I think he should be playing every game.
"If he's not, then it's important that they have a discussion around how they need to make this happen. I think they need to do that in the next couple of months," said India's highest wicket-taker across formats.
Kumble also said that he is not very sure whether Rohit Sharma should open for India in the longest format of the game.
"You only know when you actually do that but I am not really sure about pushing Rohit at the top unless it is a desperate situation.
"Yes, are we in a desperate situation where we are looking for an opener in someone who has done well at the domestic level, is it worth considering that or should Rohit... Yes, he is a high-quality player sitting on the bench, should he be pushed at the top?" he counter-questioned.