The legendary Kapil Dev is not excited about Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s return to action during the IPL, saying the league is for future stars and suggested that he should play a few matches to be considered for selection in India’s T20 World Cup squad. Dhoni will start training for his much-anticipated return to action in the Indian Premier League (IPL) from March 2 amid never-ending speculation on his career, which has been on hold since last year’s ODI World Cup.
The 38-year-old Chennai Super Kings captain, who led India to two world titles, has not played since the World Cup semifinal loss to New Zealand last year and has maintained a stoic silence on what his next move would be. He was dropped from the BCCI’s list of centrally contracted players in January.
“It’s not just Dhoni who is playing the IPL. I am a person who looks for a young player who we can be proud of in the next 10 years. I think Dhoni has already done so much for the country,” Kapil said during the fifth edition of HCL Grant event in Noida on Thursday.
“As his fan, yes (would like to see him playing the T20 World Cup) but as a cricketer I think it all depends on the management. He hasn’t played for one year. He should play more matches to be in the team. There shouldn’t be different parameters for different players,” the 1983 World Cup winning skipper said.
“He is on his last leg. I am his fan so I would love to see him but in IPL I am looking for the next generation.”
Kapil is also not bothered about Jasprit Bumrah’s form in the ongoing tour of New Zealand, saying the speedster needs just a good wicket-taking spell to get his mojo back.
“When you go through an injury it takes time for the body. For a person who has proved it at the big stage, it doesn’t take very long to come back,” he said of Bumrah, who is returning from a back injury and went wicket-less for the first time in an ODI series.
