Dhoni rubbishes talk about his retirement in 2013

Chennai, May 1: TeamIndia captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni today scotched talks that he would hang up his boots next yeaar, and said the comments he had made during the Australian tour were “blown out of proportion”.

“There is still time for him to take a call”, he observed, adding “that was blown out of proportion,”.

He told reporters here referring to his comments made duringIndia’s tour ofAustraliain January this year.

Dhoni had then said that he may retire from Test cricket if he is to play in the 2015 cricket World Cup.

“If I have to see through the 2015 (World Cup), I would have to retire from one of the formats,” Dhoni had said.

But today he averred he would decide about retirement depending upon his fitness.

“By end of 2013, I have to see where my body stands whether I can play the 2015 – 50 over World Cup. And if I am not fit enough then I have to make way for the youngsters coming in,” he said.

Dhoni said ‘If I see that, I can only play till the end of 2014 in both the formats (ODI and Tests) then I have to give up the ODI format because, I will not be able to play the 2015 World cup. There is no point in pursuing the ODI career. So, it was more like what is good for everyone,’ he added.

Elaborating, Dhoni said ‘We want an experience wicket keeper, because it is a very important slot.

The wicketkeeper is always half captain in the sense he does all the field settings and everything and gives the captain as to what is happening from the batsmen’s side.

“So this is what it is all about. It is not like I am retiring right now. Or I will have to retire in 2013.

Still one and half years is there. Nobody knows that a major injury can happen and I won’t be able to play cricket. Thats something that can happen in life. But this is it if everything goes in the right direction,” Dhoni explained.

Asked about the performance of Chennai Super Kings in the ongoing IPL 5, he said the team needs to improve the bowling.

“If you see (in) this specific format, you have to be at your best. But if you say in the last IPL we played, the wickets were relaid after that, they are on the slower side. It will take time to get used to it. But, (on the bowling side) we have not bowled really well. We need to bowl well.

“On a slow wicket, 145-150 run is a good target. We have not been able to defend that. These are the areas we need to work on. Hopefully, in the coming few games, we will be able to address that,” he said.

Asked about Sachin Tendulkar being nominated for Rajya Sabha, Dhoni said, “Let’s wait and watch”. He declined to elaborate.

Dhoni was speaking during a function where he was appointed as the new Brand Ambassador of Hinduja Group company Gulf Oil-lubricant business. (UNI)