When the BCCI announced the senior men's team retentions for the 2020-21 season on December 16th, the most notable absence from the roster was former captain and World Cup champion MS Dhoni.
Being left off the list doesn't diminish Dhoni's standing as a legendary player, especially considering his activity levels. He hasn't appeared in a Test since December 2014, and his last international outings were a T20 series in February 2019 and the World Cup semi-final in July 2019.
The BCCI opted not to grant him a contract because they are aware of his future plans, even though Dhoni has yet to formally announce his retirement from limited-overs cricket.
TOI reports that MSD will likely wait until the end of the current IPL season before officially retiring. Since the IPL is a primary scouting ground for the October 2020 World T20, a strong showing for the Chennai Super Kings could put the former captain back in the running for a spot.
TOI understands that Dhoni will definitely be open to selection once the process for the World T20 squad begins.
Officials noted that Dhoni isn't the only veteran who hasn't officially retired despite being out of the national side. Harbhajan Singh, for example, hasn't played since the 2015-16 period without making a formal announcement. While few question Harbhajan's status, Dhoni's situation draws far more media attention because of his massive profile.
BCCI representatives clarified that retirement is a deeply personal choice for any athlete, whether it's Dhoni, Harbhajan, or anyone else, whereas selection is strictly the domain of the committee. They indicated that Dhoni is unlikely to return to ODIs. Technically, he hasn't retired from T20s yet because he is still active in the IPL; it would be contradictory to announce a full retirement while continuing to play in a major league. Under current rules, an Indian player only needs to formally retire if they wish to play in foreign leagues or take on specific off-field cricket roles. Since Dhoni has no such plans, there is no rush. In contrast, Yuvraj Singh retired specifically to pursue opportunities in Canada.