MS Dhoni said performance and fitness, not age, should decide India’s World Cup selections while responding to debate over Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s future.
Two-time World Cup-winning captain MS Dhoni has made it clear that age should not be a factor in deciding whether a player represents India. According to Dhoni, only performance and fitness should determine selection for the national team.
Dhoni shared his views while responding to broadcaster Jatin Sapru’s question on whether senior batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli should be part of India’s campaign for the 2027 ODI World Cup. Without hesitation, the former India captain responded with a firm ‘Why not?’
“The thing is, why somebody should not play the next World Cup. For me, age is not a criterion,” Dhoni said. “Performance, fitness – these are the criteria. So, I always feel nobody should be told anything. But the thing should be clear. Everyone will be treated the same way. When I made my debut, I was 24, so nobody came and told me anything. So now if I’m playing for India for a year, two years, 10 years, 20 years, whatever, nobody needs to come and tell me about my age. Is age a factor? No. Is fitness a factor? Yes, fitness is a factor. Even if you’re 22 and if you’re not fit, then you have to be fit.”
Dhoni further stated that the decision to play a World Cup should rest with the players themselves, provided they continue to perform and remain fit.
“Now, when it comes to whether it’s Virat or there’ll be other names that will also come forward maybe in five years’ time, three years’ time or 10 years’ time. The whole thing is just because somebody is in their 30s, whether they can play or cannot play the next World Cup, it’s not for us to decide. It’s for them to decide if they keep performing, if they have the urge to do well for the country, then why not?” Dhoni said.
MS Dhoni Addresses The Age Debate
There has been intense debate over whether India should focus on younger players for the next ODI World Cup instead of continuing with experienced stars like Rohit and Kohli, both of whom are in their late thirties. Dhoni questioned this line of thinking and highlighted the importance of experience in high-pressure international matches.
“How do you get experienced people? You can’t get a 20-year-old who’s experienced unless it’s Sachin Tendulkar. There are only a few. You can only get experience if you start playing when you’re 16-17. And international cricket is very different. So now, if you want experience, you need people who have been maybe 30-32-33, but that’s what we’re calling experience. We’re calling 20 games and 25 games as experience. Then they’re not experienced because you need people to be under the pump in the job that they’re doing,” Dhoni said.
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MS Dhoni concluded by reiterating that selection should remain simple and fair for everyone. “(If) People are performing, they’ll be there. (If) People are not performing, they won’t be there. And a lot of times they say, ‘OK, the next World Cup is 2 years down the line, three years’, generally it’s 4 years. So, this World Cup has happened. Next is after three years or four years. So, what if the guy is not fit? You can chuck him out at any point of time. If he’s not performing, anyway you will chuck him out. So, there should not be any question regarding any individual when it comes to selection. There’s only one criterion: You’re performing and you’re fit, then keep on playing,” he concluded.
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