Dhoni's retirement talk and the Agassi analogy

We will look at alternatives if Dhoni doesn't deliver: Prasad

Chairman of selectors MSK Prasad on Monday said that former skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni's future is being discussed at selection meetings but they will look at alternatives only if the former captain doesn't deliver.

After explaining Yuvraj Singh's omission, Prasad was asked about Dhoni and he replied: “You have been fair and I will be honest. Discussions happen about everybody. It is not just MS. When we pick, when we talk about combinations, we talk about everybody. You will also see in times to come."

Asked about Dhoni's future, the chairman said that it's difficult to predict but till he is delivering for the team, it shouldn't be a problem.

"You never know. We don't say it is an automatic thing (selection) but we will see. We are all stakeholders. We all want the Indian team to do well. If he is delivering, why not? If he is not, we will have to look at alternatives," Prasad answered in a pragmatic manner.

He then drew the Andre Agassi analogy about how some players get better with age.

"I was just reading Andre Agassi's autobiography 'Open', his life actually started after 30 years. Till then, he won two or three (Grand Slams). His actual life started after that. He lived under the media pressure with the question ‘When are you going to retire’? But he played till 36 and he won so many Grand Slams."