Past is past, MS Dhoni can't play till he wants: Gautam Gambhir

Gambhir admitted that Dhoni has been instrumental in the Men in Blue's success in the past but there are other players like Dinesh Karthik who probably deserve more than they are getting

Past is past, MS Dhoni can't play till he wants: Gautam Gambhir

New Delhi: MS Dhoni could be past his best but many still consider him to be one of the most valuable assets for Team India and back him to continue till the 2019 World Cup, but as far as Gautam Gambhir is concerned, he wants the former Indian captain to perform in order earn a place in the next showpiece event.

The ongoing ODI series between India and Sri Lanka saw quite a few big names like Yuvraj Singh, R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja being snubbed; though some call it a rest while others termed it as rotation. While many expected Dhoni to miss out on a place in the 15-man squad, the former Indian skipper managed to secure himself a spot.

In an interview with ESPNCricinfo, Gambhir said that the selection criteria should be the same for everyone be it Dhoni or someone else.

"The only way he can survive till 2019 World Cup is by keep on performing. That should be the criteria for everyone, irrespective of whether he is Dhoni or someone else," the Delhi cricketer was quoted by ESPNCricinfo. 

The Delhi-lad admitted that Mahi has been instrumental in the Men in Blue's success in the past but there are other players like Dinesh Karthik who probably deserve more than they are getting.

"Okay, you have done something in the past but that's passed. You can keep playing till you want to. At the same time I believe someone like Dinesh Karthik has been a massive loss for us because whenever he got an opportunity, he did well. He could have been your backup wicket-keeping option as well, " Gambhir added. 

Earlier, Gambhir also questioned the absence of Yuvraj Singh from the squad.

"I don’t think 'rest' is the right word because he (Yuvraj) hasn't played any cricket for quite a while and he would be wanting to play. If you want to see him at the World Cup, he should be given the maximum opportunity. Because, someone like Yuvraj, you want him in that flow, you want him in that rhythm. You can’t have someone like him playing in one series and resting thereafter." 

"So, I feel that it’s difficult now for Yuvraj to make a comeback. Hopefully, he does because he is one of the greats of the game.