Former Australia batsman Dean Jones feels that MS Dhoni’s retirement will now open the doors for KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant to cement their positions as Team India wicketkeeper in limited-overs cricket. MS Dhoni was India’s first-choice wicketkeeper in ODIs and T20Is but the former captain’s long absence led the team management to give opportunities to Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul.
Dhoni took a sabbatical from the sport after India’s exit from the 2019 World Cup semi-finals, which eventually turned out to be his final game in the Blue jersey as he announced his retirement from international cricket on August 15.
His departure will now provide Rahul and Pant with the chance to seal their position behind the stumps permanently, according to Dean Jones.
“After MS Dhoni retirement yesterday… I bet you KL Rahul and R Pant slept well last night!!” Jones tweeted on Sunday.
22-year-old Rishabh Pant was the favourite to replace Dhoni as the wicketkeeper and was even being groomed by the team management for the job with regular opportunities in the past year.
Rahul also kept wickets in the 5 T20Is in New Zealand in which he managed 4 dismissals, including 3 catches and a stumping. Even in the shortest format his average has risen from 44.50 last year to 53.83 in 2020 after being asked to essay dual roles in the limited-overs team.
