Dhoni not to travel to West Indies, to help in smooth transition

According to reports, MS Dhoni is not to travel to West Indies. However, Dhoni is not to retire but help the team in smooth transition.

Mumbai:As per reports, former World Cup winning skipper of the Indian team and current keeper batsman, MS Dhoni, is to help the Indian team in smooth transition by allowing other keepers to mark their presence in the playing eleven. In the process, Dhoni is expected to not travel to the West Indies.

There was much furore amongst the masses regarding Dhoni's next move amid India's ouster from the semi-finals of the 2019 World Cup. The wicket-keeper batsman who participated in his fourth 50-overs World Cup was expected to retire after the World cup but the same is not the case anymore.

Rishabh Pant is the selector's preferred choice

As per a close source to the BCCI, "MS will not go to the West Indies. Going forward, he will not travel with the team within India or overseas as the first-choice wicketkeeper. Rishabh Pant will take over and there will be a grooming window for him until he settles down. During this time, MS will help in the transition. For all you know, he could be part of the 15 but not part of the 11. This team needs a guiding hand on multiple fronts and wishing MS away is clearly unhealthy”.

Sources have also claimed that Dhoni needs not to be axed as he has already achieved so much for the team. “He’s already proved himself to be the kind of guy who preferred ‘why’ more than ‘when’ where his career graph is concerned. He’ll go, but what’s the hurry?” said the source.

Dinesh Karthik to don the role of a reserve keeper

The national selection committee is scheduled to meet on Friday, 19th July to pick the team for the Windies tour.

Rishabh Pant will be the selector's preferred choice and Dinesh Karthik is set to don the role of the reserve keeper once again in this tour. Karthik, soon to be turning 35, will presently don the role of a reserve keeper, however, the call on his imminent future will be taken by the selectors depending on how they see him fit.