Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s future in the Indian team has been a hot topic of discussion for sometime now. With the World T20 at home not too far away, the rumour mills have been abound about what the future holds for India’s most successful captain. Addressing the media on the eve of team’s departure for Australia, Dhoni said he will think about retirement at the ‘right time’.

“I am a person who lives in the present and the focus right now is the Australian tour leading up to the World T20 Championships. I will think about it at the right time,” he said.

The rumours about Dhoni’s retirement from international cricket found more impetus following his less-than-ordinary performance in the series against Bangladesh and South Africa. Dhoni also spoke about his wish to bat up the order and groom a younger finisher for the team ahead of the home series against Proteas. The experiment, however, did not provide the side with any definitive answers.

“One of the youngsters – Gurkeerat or Manish Pandey – will get to play at either Nos 5, 6 or 7. We have four very good top order batsmen (Shikhar, Rohit, Kohli and Rahane). No. 6 or 7 is the most difficult spot for any batter. In the past we have tried many people but very few have succeeded in that position. That’s why Suresh Raina was good. Depending on how well they play, we will evaluate. I feel No 5 is good slot for a newcomer,” he said.

He also said the extra fielder outside the circle has made it difficult for the teams to go hammer and tongs in the last 10 overs and chase over 80 runs as was the case earlier. “I feel bowlers have adapted better to rule changes. When they did not have the extra fielder they adopted new strategies which will help them now with one extra fielder available. Most bowlers are not getting hit in the last 10 overs as was the case earlier. That’s why you don’t have to leave too many runs to chase in the last 10 overs.”

The Indian captain is also pleased with the R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja’s return to form. Ashwin has transformed himself into one of the world’s leading bowlers with consistent performances over the past year. Jadeja, too, made an impressive return to the Indian side with some stunning performances in the domestic circuit.

“Ashwin is a thinking cricketer. His performance went down a bit and he was criticised for doing too many things, but I am glad he has come back well. He is an asset. I have used him in all slots – from first to ten overs or in death. He makes my job slightly easier. When my fast bowlers did not do well, I have relied upon him. He’s been great.

“(Ravi) Ashwin is our premier spinner and it is (also) good to have (Ravindra) Jadeja back. The two spinning all-rounders will be competing for a spot. Axar (Patel) has also played well in domestic cricket,” he added.

Dhoni also welcomed fast bowler Mohammed Shami’s return to the side after undergoing an extensive rehabilitation programme post knee surgery. But he was also cautious as he feels that his workload needs to be monitored. “Shami has been a very good bowler in seaming conditions. He has worked hard on his rehabilitation and played in domestic cricket. We will see how well we can manage his work load with the World T20 Cup round the corner.”

Talking about upcoming World T20s, Dhoni is satisfied that India will play three T20 Internationals Down Under as they start their preparations for the marquee event. “Australia is a competitive side. When you compete against Australia, you always gain more experience. And with a few youngsters around, it will be interesting to see them perform,” he said.

“It’s good to have 3 T20s after the ODI series as we have ample opportunity to try different players in different slots. Then we will be in a better position to finalise the playing XI at the start of the T20 World Cup. It’s an exciting time and a very important three to three and half months are ahead,” said wicket-keeper batsman.