MS Dhoni’s future has been a major topic of discussion after the World Cup semi-final defeat against New Zealand earlier in the year, and the former captain who has stayed away from the field since is understood to have begun preparations for the new season.
A report in the New Indian Express states that the former skipper has started training at the gym in Jharkhand and that he is likely to train with the Jharkhand U-23 team, which is having a camp for the national one-day tournament starting on October 31.
“He spoke to a support staff of the senior Jharkhand team but as they would be leaving for Surat to participate in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy T20s starting on November 8, he is likely to practise with under-23 boys at the stadium,” said a source close to developments.
The U-23 camp is organised for a week before the team leaves for Jaipur, where they start against Kerala on November 1.
“He has started working on his fitness by training at the gym. He also plays badminton, tennis and billiards at the venue. They all are part of his preparations. He might start playing competitive cricket from January which means he will not be a part of the Jharkhand team for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy,” added the source.
The question about Dhoni’s future was also a big part of BCCI President Sourav Ganguly’s first press conference on Wednesday (October 23).
Ganguly said he doesn’t know what is in Dhoni’s mind but promised that a player of his stature will be accorded respect.
“You know champions don’t finish quickly. I don’t know what’s in his mind and what he thinks about his career. So we will deal with that you know,” Ganguly said at his media conference after taking over as the board president.
“He is one of the greats of the game and India is proud to have MS Dhoni over a period of time. If you even sit down and take a note of what he has done, you say, ‘Wow, MS Dhoni’,” he said.
“Till I am around, everybody will be respected and that doesn’t change,” Ganguly had said.