Former India batsman Virender Sehwag has said that the selectors should communicate with MS Dhoni about his future in the team, as speculation builds over when the latter will retire.
Dhoni had opted out of India's ongoing tour of the West Indies. After announcing India's squads for the tour, chief selector MSK Prasad had said that Rishabh Pant - who was a part of the squad across formats - was being groomed to take up the wicketkeeping role in the future. When asked if he would have picked Dhoni had he been available, Prasad had said: "First of all he is not fit, so when he is fit and available, then we'll see."
Speaking to the Times of India on how the ICC can add more drama to Test cricket, Virender Sehwag said: "In the World Test Championship (WTC), you can limit the number of overs in any one innings. So if you play, say, 200 overs in one innings, you cannot play more than 80 in the second."
He also said he was okay with the same number of points being handed out in the WTC for home and away wins, as, he felt, teams should not be allowed to get away with home defeats: "Otherwise, a team with more away wins can compensate for losses at home. That should not be allowed. Equal points is better."
Sehwag also urged the BCCI to "explore smaller venues" for more matches and schedule Tests at home during the weekends.
"BCCI also needs to change schedules so that three days of any Test is on a Friday, Saturday and Sunday. If the Test also ends on a weekend, it will be perfect and crowds will be more."
Sehwag pointed out that although it's up to Dhoni to decide when he wants to retire, the selectors have to keep him informed of their plans instead of adding to the speculation.
"That [retirement] is Dhoni's personal call. If he thinks he is fit and can contribute like he used to, then why not continue," Sehwag told Hindustan Times. "But if the selectors think that MSD can't contribute, then they should tell him that we are giving you this last series. That should be communicated.
"That communication should always be there between the selectors and the player. Don't know whether the selectors have [that communication] or not. We have only read MSK [Prasad] giving a statement about selectors conveying to MSD that he is not their first choice.