Selectors must look beyond MS Dhoni, give chances to youngsters: Gautam Gambhir

Mumbai: Gautam Gambhir, the cricketer-turned politician is known for making quite bold and honest statements. Recently, the 2011-World Cup winner stated about the issues that the Indian cricket team needs to address before competing for the 2020 T20 World Cup.

Apart from stating the problems which the team is currently facing, the former Indian cricketer also commented on India’s veteran wicket-keeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s future.

However, this time around, the 2007 T20 World Cup winner made a definite statement on MS Dhoni’s career. The Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) member said that the decision to retire rests entirely on the 38-year-old but it’s evident that the former Indian captain won’t be playing the next 50-overs World Cup in 2023, and since Dhoni won’t be a part of the 2023 World Cup, he feels that the selectors now must focus on the youngsters and should give chances to someone like Rishabh Pant or Sanju Samson because they are going to be a part of the Indian team for a long time.

During an interview with the Indian Express, Gambhir stated, “It is not about Dhoni staying on for the next cricket World Cup, it is about winning the next cricket World Cup. You might want to give the opportunity to Rishabh Pant or Sanju Samson, any young cricketer… They should get the opportunity… I think personally, if you ask me, I think it’s time for Indian cricket to look beyond Dhoni,” Gambhir added.