India's ODI captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni yesterday left open the possibility of playing in the 2019 World Cup in England, saying that he would take a call after the Twenty20 World Cup next year
MS Dhoni en route his 65 against Australia
Sydney: India's ODI captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni yesterday left open the possibility of playing in the 2019 World Cup in England, saying that he would take a call after the Twenty20 World Cup next year.
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MS Dhoni en route his 65 against Australia. Pic/AFP
Dhoni, who retired from Test cricket late last year, said that he is 33 now and will wait till the T20 World Cup, to be held in India in March.
The wicketkeeper-batsman's future has been a subject of speculation after his Test retirement and he has also spoken of the toll his body has taken by playing non-stop cricket.
"I am 33, I'm still running and I am still fit. Next year (at the World T20) will be the right time to decide if I should play World Cup 2019," Dhoni said in the post-match presentation.
Rated among the best finishers in ODI cricket, Dhoni has been India's most successful skipper, having led the side to two World Cup titles (the 2007 World T20 and the 2011 ODI World Cup).
'I play for enjoyment'
Questioned about his future in the post-match press conference, Dhoni laughed off the query. "You guys (media) should carry out a research and then write the complete opposite because that would be the truth. I play for the enjoyment of the game and the day I decide to go, I will pack my bags and happily go away," he said with a grin.
On a serious note, he was asked about his legacy in ODI cricket and there was a dismissive tone. "For me, every time I turn up, what's important is to do something special so that I can be part of or I can contribute to the win.
Apart from that, what people think about me as a player or what I have done, it doesn't really matter because I play for the enjoyment of the game, and I don't really have to do anything with the amount of runs I have scored. The day I pack my bags, I will pack it, and I¿ll be happy on my bike," the skipper said.