<p class="title">Dropped from BCCI's central contracts list, former India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni began practising with the Jharkhand Ranji Trophy squad on Thursday amid fresh speculation on his future.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The 38-year-old showed up at his home team's net practice in Ranchi, indicating that he is gearing himself for the upcoming Indian Premier League. This was on a day when BCCI axed him from the list of centrally contracted players.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Even we did not know that he was going to come and train with us. It was a pleasant surprise. He batted for a while and did the usual training routine," a source close to the Jharkhand team management told PTI.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Jharkhand's next match is against Uttarakhand, starting Sunday in Ranchi.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Dhoni has not played a competitive game since the World Cup semifinal loss to New Zealand on July 9.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Head coach Ravi Shastri has hinted that the celebrated wicketkeeper-batsman might retired from ODIs soon but will be in contention for a T20 World Cup berth provided he does well for Chennai Super Kings in the IPL.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The T20 World Cup will be held in Australia in October.</p>
<p class="title">Dropped from BCCI's central contracts list, former India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni began practising with the Jharkhand Ranji Trophy squad on Thursday amid fresh speculation on his future.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The 38-year-old showed up at his home team's net practice in Ranchi, indicating that he is gearing himself for the upcoming Indian Premier League. This was on a day when BCCI axed him from the list of centrally contracted players.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Even we did not know that he was going to come and train with us. It was a pleasant surprise. He batted for a while and did the usual training routine," a source close to the Jharkhand team management told PTI.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Jharkhand's next match is against Uttarakhand, starting Sunday in Ranchi.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Dhoni has not played a competitive game since the World Cup semifinal loss to New Zealand on July 9.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Head coach Ravi Shastri has hinted that the celebrated wicketkeeper-batsman might retired from ODIs soon but will be in contention for a T20 World Cup berth provided he does well for Chennai Super Kings in the IPL.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The T20 World Cup will be held in Australia in October.</p>