Sunil Gavaskar open to the idea of MS Dhoni becoming India's coach, but with a condition

Former Indian captain MS Dhoni last played an international match for India in 2019 World Cup.

According to Sunil Gavaskar, MS Dhoni should take a break before considering the role of Team India head coach in the future. Currently leading Chennai Super Kings in the ongoing IPL 2023, Dhoni retired from international cricket back in 2019.

MS Dhoni remains a crucial figure for the Chennai Super Kings, despite being 41 years old and battling a knee injury. Over the past two years, he has been more of a mentor-captain-player for the team. However, there are speculations that the ongoing IPL 2023 season could potentially be his last as an active player.

Sunil Gavaskar suggests cooling-off period for Dhoni before taking up high-profile role

Former Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has suggested that MS Dhoni take a break of two to three years before assuming a high-profile role, allowing him time to make better decisions about players he has previously played with. Despite being a key figure for the Chennai Super Kings in the IPL, reports suggest that the ongoing season could be Dhoni's last as an active player.

"MS Dhoni could take over the coaching role (in the Indian team) a little bit later. I think that is how it should be. I do believe that you need a little bit of cooling off period before you take any assignment with the team (after retiring as a player).

"Be it the selection committee, the manager, or the coach, I think you need a 2 or 3-year cooling off period because you are making decisions about the player that you have been playing with. "You can give anyone a three-year cooling-off period and then look at it," Gavaskar told Star Sports.

Dhoni's underwhelming performance as a mentor in the 2021 T20 World Cup

Dhoni's role as a mentor for Team India in the 2021 T20 World Cup didn't pan out as expected, with India being knocked out in the first round of the tournament. However, in the ongoing IPL 2023 season, the veteran cricketer has been playing the role of a finisher with precision despite nursing a knee injury. As captain of the Chennai Super Kings, Dhoi has led the team to second place in the points table and is expected to help them qualify for the playoffs.