Injury picked up during World Cup reason for Dhoni's unavailability

Kolkata: MS Dhoni is injured, which is the reason behind his unavailability at the moment. It is learnt that Dhoni went to the World Cup carrying a back niggle that got aggravated during the course of the tournament. Also, during the World Cup, he picked up a wrist injury. The former India captain is expected to be fit by November, according to news reports which quoted BCCI sources as saying.

Dhoni wasn't part of India's limited-overs squad for the tour of West Indies. He wasn't included in the team for the recently concluded three-match home T20 international series against South Africa either.

Dhoni, an honorary Lieutenant Colonel, meanwhile, had a two-week stint with the Para Regiment of the Indian Army in Kashmir after the World Cup. Then, he was said to be on a sabbatical. Even at 38 years of age, Dhoni is one of the fittest cricketers in the Indian team.

But a back injury had been troubling him for over a season now. Last year, after an IPL match against Kings XI Punjab at Mohali, where he scored an unbeaten 79, the Chennai Super Kings captain had spoken about the injury during post-match presentation. "It's bad. How bad it is, I don't know." This year, during the IPL, Dhoni had said his back was holding up. "The back is holding up, it's not getting worse, with the World Cup coming up, can't afford that, because that's too important."

The Indian team management has dropped a hint that they are not ruling out the ex-skipper yet. Ahead of the first T20I against South Africa in Dharamsala, Virat Kohli had spoken about the "alignment" between his predecessor and the team.