New Delhi: Former India skipper Kapil Dev has said that MS Dhoni should look to play more matches if he wants to make it to the T20 World Cup squad.
"As a cricketer, it all depends on the management. If you haven't played for one year, what else you expect. You have to play more matches to make [it to] the team. As a fan, I want to see him (Dhoni) play," Dev told reporters.
On Thursday, it was revealed that Dhoni will start practicing for the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League from March 3-4.
Thirty-eight-year-old Dhoni is currently enjoying some time away from the game. He last played competitive cricket during the 2019 World Cup.
Dhoni had to face criticism for his slow batting approach during India's matches in the tournament.
Especially in the games against England and New Zealand (semi-final), he had to bear the brunt of netizens, who deemed him as the reason for the Men in Blue's loss.
Earlier this year, Dhoni did not find a place for himself in the BCCI's centrally contracted players list.
BCCI had released the list of central contract list of players for the period from October 2019 to September 2020.
Meanwhile, Kapil also said that players who are regulars for the Indian team can give the Indian Premier League (IPL) a miss if they think that the international calendar is too cramped.
Indian captain Virat Kohli had mentioned at the start of India's ongoing tour of New Zealand that they are getting closer to landing at the stadium and playing straight.
"If you think there is burnout then don't play IPL," Kapil told reporters on the sidelines of he fifth edition of HCL Grant's felicitation ceremony."There you are not representing your country. So if you think you are burned out, you can always take a break during the IPL. When you are representing your country, the feeling should be different," he said.
Kapil added that when playing for their country, players need to be giving their best and this should not get compromised because they put a lot of energy in playing franchise cricket.
