I've 10 months to decide whether I want to play one more year: Dhoni on IPL future
New Delhi(PTI): The legendary MS Dhoni stayed immune to the growing clamour around his future in the IPL, saying the decision to bring curtains on his career depends on how his body reacts to the demands of top-flight cricket and he has "10 months" to take a call.
In this IPL, Dhoni has not been able to make the kind of impact that he usually does while batting in the lower middle-order.
His lack of timing and ineffectiveness, evidenced in the 76 runs that he made from four matches, have prompted several experts to urge the multiple World Cup-winning skipper to move on.
"I am still playing the IPL and it is one year at a time for me. I am 43 now and by the end of this IPL season, I will be 44," Dhoni said on entrepreneur Raj Shamani's podcast recently.
"So, I have 10 months to decide whether I want to play one more year and it's not me to decide as it is my body that decides whether I can play or not," he added.
However, the former Chennai Super Kings skipper, who led CSK to five IPL titles, said he is quite content with his achievements on the field.
"It is not about whether I am happy or unhappy. Whatever has happened has happened. It cannot be changed. It's about accepting all of it. You know, whatever happens I will not be able to add one more run to my international runs, and no one will be able to reduce them," he said.
Dhoni has always been a man of the present. But, for once, he set aside that pragmatic side to reveal his wish of seeing legends like Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Virender Sehwag and Yuvraj Singh assemble in the same team once again.
"I will stick to Indian players. Viru pa opening the innings, Sachin, Dada… and now you imagine everyone at their prime. Then you will get this feeling that there can't be anyone better than them.
"It's tough to pick an all-time eleven. Now, when you see Yuvi hitting six sixes, you will feel that I don't want to watch any other batsman. It's all about enjoying what they have done for India. Some of those talents we have seen are mind blowing," he added.
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Davanagere Cong rebel candidate Sadiq Pailwan refuses to withdraw papers for by-poll
Davanagere: The efforts of the Congress leaders on Thursday to pacify Sadiq Pailwan, who has filed his nomination papers for the by-poll to the Davanagere (South) Assembly constituency, failed as the rebellion within the party for poll tickets continues.
In addition, Congress party leaders have expressed worry as the deadline to withdraw nomination papers expired on Thursday afternoon but Pailwan did not bend in spite of their reportedly best efforts to prevent division of the party.
The deadline to withdraw the nomination papers was 3 pm. It may also be noted that the leaders who held a confidential meeting in Davanagere, Chief Whip of the Congress party in the Council Salim Ahmed and MLA Rizwan Arshad, arrived in Davanagere only 2:45 pm.
Hundreds of supporters of Pailwan gathered outside his houses and shouted slogans against the leaders, demanding that they ‘go back’.
While the Congress leaders were hopeful of things turning for the better for the party, Pailwan’s supporters pressured him not to withdraw his nomination papers ‘at any cost’. As the supporters thronged the candidate, the leaders were forced to meet him inside his house.
The meeting, however, lasted only five minutes, with the leaders stating before reporters that Pailwan could not withdraw his papers due to shortage of time. They added that Pailwan was still a member of the Congress and would get suitable position in the party soon.
