CCI wants to make MS Dhoni’s last game as skipper special

Former Indian skipper MS Dhoni just quit captaincy in the lead to the England series, a couple of days ahead of the team selection and when the selection panel eventually got together to discuss the combination, they handed over the reins quite predictably to Virat Kohli but there was a surprise in store. The Indian A team plays a couple of warm-up games ahead of the series and Dhoni has not only been named in the team but is also the captain for the first of the two matches.

The Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai will host the first practice game on Tuesday and since this is possibly Dhoni’s last game as skipper the Cricket Club of India (CCI) officials want to make it a special occasion. That is the reason they asked the BCCI to also make sure the game is telecast live.

“Till now we were preparing as just another warm-up match. But now, with the match being shown live and being labelled as Dhoni’s last tie as skipper, we are expecting at least 15 to 20,000 people to flock the stadium. We will have to request for additional police force to control the crowd. The atmosphere is going to be like an international match and we have to live up to our high standards,” a top CCI official was quoted by Hindustan Times on Saturday.

Apart from Dhoni some of the biggest names in Indian cricket star allrounder Yuvraj Singh, Ashish Nehra and opener Shikhar Dhawan will also feature in the game along with a bunch of youngsters.

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Earlier after announcing the team for the series chairman of selectors MSK Prasad had said, “He is the best guy to look after the youngsters. We know what Mahi does. It is not about him stepping down or anything like that. He is a captain by nature; he leads from the front. Dhoni went to Zimbabwe also for the same reason and that is why he is named India-A captain,” Prasad had said on Friday.

The second and the last warm-up match will be played at the same venue on January 12 where Ajinkya Rahane will be leading the team.