‘If Dhoni decides to play only IPL then it will be impossible for him to perform’ - Kapil Dev | Cricket - Hindustan Times
close_game
close_game

‘If Dhoni decides to play only IPL then it will be impossible for him to perform’ - Kapil Dev

Hindustan Times, New Delhi | Byhindustantimes.com
Nov 03, 2020 07:39 AM IST

IPL 2020: India’s World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev talked about Dhoni’s form in the IPL and said that it will be “impossible” for Dhoni to perform well if he decides on playing in the IPL without getting any match practice.

There has been a lot of debate around MS Dhoni and Chennai Super Kings this season. Dhoni hadn’t played any competitive cricket in more than a year and had announced the retirement just a month ahead of the 13th season of the Indian Premier League. Fans clamoured to see their favourite cricketer in action and there were a lot of eyes on Dhoni during the season.

Former India captain Kapil Dev talks about MS Dhoni’s form in IPL(Twitter)
Former India captain Kapil Dev talks about MS Dhoni’s form in IPL(Twitter)

But it wasn’t a season to remember for both Dhoni and CSK. CSK failed to make it to the playoffs for the first time in their history while Dhoni could not fire with the bat. In the 14 matches he played, Dhoni could only manage 200 runs at an average of 25. The runs also came at a surprising strike rate of just 116. But Dhoni clarified during CSK’s last match of the season that he is not going to retire from IPL. (Full coverage of IPL 2020)

Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

India’s World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev talked about Dhoni’s form in the IPL and said that it will be “impossible” for Dhoni to perform well if he decides on playing in the IPL without getting any match practice. Dev wants Dhoni to play a lot more in the domestic circuit to get his form back.

Also Read | ‘If IPL happens in UAE in 2021, MS Dhoni has to play again in 2022’

“If Dhoni decides on playing only IPL every year, then it’s impossible for him to perform. It’s not a good thing to talk about age but at his age (39 years), the more he plays, the more his body will be tuned,” Kapil told ‘ABP News’.

“If you don’t play any cricket for 10 months a year and suddenly play IPL, you can see what happened. You can always have a season up or down if you have played so much cricket. It has happened to someone like Chris Gayle also,” the World Cup-winning former skipper said.

Kapil feels that it’s high time that Dhoni plays some domestic cricket this season.

“He should go back to first-class cricket (domestic List A and T20) and play there.” The straight-talking former all-rounder made it clear that it will be a challenge for Dhoni given that he has already indicated that he is “definitely not” retiring from the IPL.

“If someone has achieved so much, the dip in form does affect and it becomes a challenge. Let’s see how he comes out of it,” Kapil said.

(with PTI inputs)

Stay updated with the latest Cricket News, IPL Live Scores, and exclusive insights on the IPL 2024 Opening Ceremony, IPL 2024 Schedule, match highlights, and more. Explore comprehensive Cricket Schedule, track the race for the Purple Cap and Orange Cap in IPL 2024, and stay ahead with all the cricket-related updates on the Hindustan Times Website and Apps.
SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Share this article
SHARE
Story Saved
Live Score
OPEN APP
Saved Articles
Following
My Reads
Sign out
New Delhi 0C
Friday, March 22, 2024
Start 14 Days Free Trial Subscribe Now
Follow Us On