Ravi Shastri says it's for MS Dhoni to decide whether he wants to come back to the Indian team

MS Dhoni has not played for India since the Men in Blue’s campaign came to an end in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 against New Zealand. The 2011 World Cup winning-captain, who turned 38 in 2019, first made himself unavailable for the West Indies tour and later for home series against South Africa. Certain media reports have also suggested that Dhoni will make himself available for India only in December when West Indies tours the country. With the former Indian captain missing international cricket for an extended period, his future as an Indian cricketer has become a matter of intense speculation. [caption id=“attachment_7472511” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File image of Ravi Shastri and MS Dhoni. AFP[/caption] Speaking on the matter, India coach Ravi Shastri, in an interview with The Hindu, said it’s for Dhoni to decide if he wants to make a comeback. Shastri added that Dhoni will need to start playing first before making a comeback to the Indian side. “Whether he wants to come back, that’s for him to decide. I have not met him after the World Cup. He has to first start playing and let’s see how things go. I don’t think he has started playing after the World Cup. If he is keen, he will definitely let the selectors know,” Shastri said. Meanwhile, R Ashwin is another cricketer who made a comeback against South Africa in the first Test at Vizag after a forced absence. Ashwin, who is not part of India’s limited overs setup, was made to sit out of two Tests in West Indies as Ravindra Jadeja took up the only spinner slot. The match in Vizag was Ashwin’s first international assignment in 10 months. He returned with eight wickets in the match which India won by 203 runs while also becoming the joint-fastest to reach 350 wickets in Test cricket. Shastri was full of praise for the off-spinner but added that no one in Indian team can afford to rest on their laurels. “He’s world class. A top-class off-spinner. But the demands of the game are such that you cannot afford to rest on your laurels. It’s the same with everyone in the team,” Shastri said.