Overworked Dhoni wants to skip ODIs

Mahendra Singh Dhoni has indicated that he wants to opt out of the five-match One-Day series against New Zealand.

After six months of back-breaking cricket,Mahendra Singh Dhoni has indicated that he wants to opt out of the five-match One-Day series against New Zealand later this month. While the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) continues to advocate the policy of recuperation-leave for its senior players,the national selectors who meet to pick the ODI squad on Saturday arent quite as keen.

Speaking to reporters on the eve of the third and final Test against New Zealand in Nagpur,Dhoni said that a break from the game has been long overdue. Since the Sri Lanka series,it has been really hectic… I havent had time to switch off and switch on… We will see if there are other senior players available for the series, Dhoni said.

BCCI Chief Administrative Officer Ratnakar Shetty said,BCCI has always welcomed players request and if Dhoni wants to take a break then I dont see any reason why we cant allow him. This is applicable to not only Dhoni,but to all players. They are free to approach us, Shetty told The Indian Express.

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A senior selector who declined to be identified,however,said it would be impossible to put together a squad without Dhoni for the ODIs. The request hasnt reached us yet,but it will be tough to give Dhoni a break, said the selector. At best,he can skip the last three games,but Dhoni will have to be present for at least the opening two games.

The last time Dhoni got a break was in May-June 2010,when senior players were rested for the tour to Zimbabwe. Since then,he has participated non-stop in the Asia Cup,the Test and tri-series in Sri Lanka,the Champions League T20 in South Africa,and the Test and ODI series against Australia at home before the ongoing Test series against the Kiwis. That adds up to a total of 55 match days since his last break.

With Indias three-Test,one-T20 and five-ODI tour of South Africa just a month away,to be followed almost immediately by the 2011 World Cup and the fourth season of IPL,Dhoni believes this will be a good time to tend to his aches and injuries.

Were discussing this issue with the BCCI… If you see,players like Suresh Raina and me,we have played consistent cricket for a long time. First Sri Lanka and then we went to play in the Champions League and then we have played all through this series… I hope to take some time off from the (NZ) ODIs. It wil give us some time to throw away our niggles, Dhoni said today.

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The niggles showed up repeatedly at both Ahmedabad and Nagpur. Keeping wickets has ensured that all of Dhonis fingers are cocooned in bandages,and he has a bad back. Team physiotherapist Ramesh Mane is seen working on the skippers back at the end of almost every match day. And yet,the fact that a Dhoni-less India lost twice to Zimbabwe and failed to qualify for the tri-series final will weigh on the minds of the selectors on Saturday.

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