MS Dhoni's skill level won't decline with a break like Federer's and Woods': L Balaji

Former Indian cricket captain MS Dhoni has been out of action since the end of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019. MS Dhoni was set to make a comeback in the IPL 2020 but the tournament got postponed to April 15. The situation in the country doesn't look very promising currently, which is why the lockdown in India has been extended to May 3.

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MS Dhoni's skill level hasn't changed: Lakshmipathy Balaji

The IPL 2020 has been shelved for the time being. If the tournament gets cancelled, MS Dhoni's comeback into the Indian team for the T20 World Cup could be thrown into further uncertainty.

However, CSK bowling coach Lakshmipathy Balaji believes that all the chatter about MS Dhoni taking a sabbatical shouldn't be considered when it comes to deciding whether MS Dhoni should be a part of the Indian team for the T20 World Cup later in the year in Australia. 

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While speaking to The Times of India, Balaji said people shouldn’t be talking about MS Dhoni’s six-month break. He added that it is no big deal. Balaji cited examples of Tiger Woods and Roger Federer saying that they miss major tournaments and then come back as well after a period of time. Balaji also said that some time away from the game doesn’t mean that they have lost their skills. Their skill level doesn’t change and it is the same with MS Dhoni.

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Balaji also said that when it comes to match-winners, one doesn't need not think about their skill level. Balaji added that Dhoni might not be the same as he was when he was 25 or 26, but he is well-equipped with the mental side of the game. Lakshmipathy Balaji concluded that during CSK's recent training sessions, it never felt like MS Dhoni was on a sabbatical from the game for any length of time. He didn’t look out of practice even on the first day of training itself and that is where MS Dhoni's greatness lies.

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