Dhoni will be included for World Cup even if IPL is cancelled: Childhood coach
Kolkata: Mahendra Singh Dhoni's much-anticipated comeback with the IPL may not happen anytime soon in light of the fast-spreading Covid19 pandemic but his childhood coach Keshav Ranjan Banerjee remains hopeful that the ageing cricketing hero will find a place in India's T20 World Cup.
The lucrative T20 tournament's 2020 edition, which has already been postponed to April 15, is on the verge of cancellation with the country in a 21-day national lockdown beginning Wednesday to combat the spread of coronavirus.
Dhoni has been out of action since India's semifinal exit in the World Cup in July last year and he needs to show his form to be picked for the World Cup side.
"In the current scenario, IPL looks unlikely and we will have to wait for BCCI's call. His (Dhoni's) position will become tough obviously. But my sixth sense says he will get a chance in the T20 World Cup, which will be his last," Banerjee told PTI from Ranchi.
The Chennai Super Kings captain trained in Ranchi in the lead up to IPL 2020 and also led their training camp in Chennai before the league was postponed due to the outbreak of coronavirus.
"I spoke to him after he returned from Chennai and I'm in constant touch with his parents. He's doing his fitness training and is fully fit.
"Now let's wait for the BCCI's decision. There's no tournament. ICC tournaments are off till June. So we will have to wait and see."
Head coach Ravi Shastri had earlier said the IPL would decide the fate of Dhoni, who will turn 39 in July. With IPL about to get shelved and there being no way to know Dhoni's form, Sunil Gavaskar and Virender Sehwag also had raised a question mark on the return of the 2011 World Cup winning skipper.
"True that he has not played a tournament (since July 2019) but for someone with 538 International matches, I don't think it would take much time to adjust," said Banerjee.
"It would have been a different scenario for a beginner. But it's not the case with Dhoni who has a wealth of experience. I think he will get a last chance," maintained Banerjee.
