'Dhoni, Woods or Federer's skill level doesn't change with break'

Chennai Super Kings bowling coach L Balaji believes that all talks about MS Dhoni taking a sabbatical and all shouldn't count when it comes to deciding whether the former skipper should be a part of the Indian team for the T20 World Cup later in the year in Australia.

"We shouldn't be talking about Dhoni's six-month break. It is no big deal. If you see Tiger Woods or Roger Federer, they miss major tournaments and then come back. The break doesn't mean that they go off the boil. The skill level doesn't change. It is the same with Dhoni.

"When it comes to proven performers, you need not think about their skill level. He might not be the same as he was when he was 25 or 26, but he is much better-equipped with the mental side of the game. From what I saw during the CSK training, it never looked like Dhoni was away from the game for any length of time. He didn't look rusty even on the first day of training. That is his greatness," Balaji was quoted as saying by The Times of India during a chat on Wednesday.

The former India pacer further said that while it is on the national selectors to decide whether they wish to pick him for the World T20, he would always go with Dhoni because of his experience when it comes to big tournaments.

"It is entirely up to selectors but if you ask me, I would always go with MS for any big tournament. Beyond his finishing skills, there are a lot of things he brings to the table. It is about having multiple inputs in a team game. When it comes to winning big tournaments, we can't have makeshift players as it leads to uncertainty. It is about having the best players for every slot," he pointed.