MS Dhoni shouldn't be pushed into retirement too early, says Nasser Hussain

Hussain, one of the most respected voices in world cricket, feels the the doubting thomases should be careful about what they wish for as there is no second coming for a once-in-a-generation player like Dhoni if people push him into retirement.

"Once Dhoni is gone, there is no getting him back. There are some legends of the game, appreciating while around, because they are once-in-a-generation cricketer and don't push him into retirement too early. Only Dhoni knows his mental state and in the end the selectors select and players turn up when asked to," Hussain told Star Sports on its new show 'Cricket Connected'.

Dhoni last played for India in the 50-over World Cup semifinal against New Zealand in July, 2019.

Meanwhile, former legends like Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev have expressed that it was getting increasingly difficult for Dhoni to make an international return after such a prolonged sabbatical.

But, the 52 year old Hussain, who led England from 1999-2003, feels otherwise.

"Is MS Dhoni still good enough to get in the Indian side? It is as simple as that. That should apply for anyone across the board. What I have seen of Dhoni, I still think MS Dhoni has a huge amount to offer for Indian cricket," he said.

However, Naseer admitted that Dhoni did err on a couple of occasions during World Cup where he couldn't force the pace of the innings.

"Yes, its been one or two occasions where he (Dhoni) got it wrong in run chases, there was a World Cup game in England where he sort of blocked at the end for some unknown reason, but in general MS Dhoni is still a really good talent and be careful what you wish for," said Hussain.

The show will be aired at 1900 hrs and 2100 hrs on Star Sports on Saturday.