Aakash Chopra explains why MS Dhoni will not take up Indian head coach job

Published - 17 Aug 2025, 13:42 IST | Updated - 17 Aug 2025, 14:16 IST

Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra has weighed in on why MS Dhoni would not accept the position of head coach for the Indian cricket team in the future. Dhoni has previously mentored India during the 2021 T20 World Cup.

Chopra felt that Dhoni, or for that matter most players, would not want to be involved in the thick of cricket all over again, especially after having spent so many years in a stressful cricketing environment already.

"That is a big one. I don't think he is interested. Coaching is a difficult job. Coaching keeps you as busy as you were when playing, and sometimes even more than that. You have a family, and you say that you have done the same thing your entire life, you have lived your life out of a suitcase, and you don't want to do that job now," stated Chopra in a video on his YouTube channel.

The cricketer-turned-commentator felt Dhoni would not want to dedicate the amount of time into coaching at the expense of family time.

"That is why a lot of players don't get into coaching, and even if they do, it's a two-month IPL stint. However, if you become a full-time Indian head coach, it's a commitment of 10 months in a year. I don't know whether Dhoni would have that much time. I will be amazed if he has that much time," he added.

In the same video, Chopra also spoke on Kuldeep Yadav's current cricketing status in international cricket. The 47-year-old highlighted Kuldeep's prolonged absence from the Test squad for away Tests. Notably, Kuldeep did not feature in any of India's five Tests against England in the recently-concluded Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. There were a lot of analysts and ex-cricketers who felt he deserved to be a part of the XI.

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"You have to feel for Kuldeep Yadav. If you don't, you are not a true follower of Indian cricket. He had picked six wickets in a Test in Sydney in 2019, and Ravi Shastri, who was the head coach, had said he is our No. 1 spinner overseas. Since then, he has played just one Test away from home. I am very, very surprised and disappointed, and slightly frustrated. He hasn't played matches in eight years. He will get old," observed Chopra.