Mumbai: In an interview with the IANS, sources in the knowhow stated that the team management and selectors are aiming to groom Rishabh Pant before the 2020 T-20 World Cup. The team management requested MS Dhoni to not retire ,because in case of any mishap, the team management and the selectors can take a call beforehand, stated the sources.
If Dhoni would have retired then that would have created a massive void which would be hard to fill if in case Pant sustains any injury before the 2020 T-20 championship, so Dhoni was asked to stay until Pant is properly groomed, explained the sources.
"Dhoni knows what his role and position is. All these talks about his retirement and when he will call it quits makes no sense as he is a team player. He will never react to any controversy and I am sure you all know this much about the man and his ethics. "While the team management is grooming Pant with an eye on the next T20 World Cup and beyond, they want Dhoni as a mentor and back-up if he is needed going into the tournament.
They want him to stick around a bit longer. "Take a look around and tell me who are your options if Pant suffers an injury? To be honest, all the names on the other side don't match-up to be half as good as Dhoni still is. Yes, there is no denying the fact that Pant is the future and he will be looked at across all formats, but Dhoni's guidance as well as presence is still needed," the source stated.
