Then India captain MS Dhoni celebrates after winning the inaugural World T20 title at Johannesburg in 2007. Pic/ Getty Images
The ever-patriotic Mahendra Singh Dhoni chose Independence Day to announce the biggest decision of his glittering career—retirement from international cricket.
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This is how he ended his Test career—in a flash and in the middle of the 2014-15 Test series in Australia—no fuss or fanfare.
"Thanks a lot for ur love and support throughout. from 1929hrs consider me as retired," Dhoni posted on his Instagram handle with a video of his on-field images and his all-time favourite song, 'Main pal do pal ka shayar hoon' playing. It was his only his second social media post since February.
Dhoni's friend and former India batsman Suresh Raina followed his skipper's footsteps and announced his retirement from international cricket a few minutes later.
Dhoni's legendary journey started when he was handed the reins of the Indian team for the inaugural ICC T20 World Cup on August 7, 2007. Leading a fairly young team, Dhoni & Co made Indian fans fall in love with the game again not long after the 50-over World Cup debacle in the West Indies.
It is here where Dhoni's instinctive decision-making and bold moves took everyone by surprise. Lalchand Rajput, then coach of Dhoni's side, recalled on Saturday: "He got the best out of his players because he backed them. It is difficult to get a cricketer like Dhoni again. Who could have thought of giving the final over to Joginder Sharma in the 2007 T20 World Cup final v Pakistan?
"He used to think ahead, not just one step but two. He could envisage a player's potential and back him. That brought the best out of the players as well."
"He told me that he had seen Joginder bowl in the death overs in T20s. He had nerves of steel. And not many teams had seen him bowl. Not many people think so deeply while taking a decision. That is something that impressed me the most," added Rajput, who was also coach when India won their first triangular series in Australia during the 2007-08 season.
Rajput said Dhoni would always think first from a player's perspective before putting on his captaincy hat. "He would assess whether the player is ready or requires some more time for a particular role. He never liked pushing any player at the deep end. He may have gone through it in his career and that is why he never wanted his team members to face that," said Rajput.
During the 2019 World Cup in England, Dhoni provided a hint of his retirement by playing with different bat stickers that he had used in his 16-year career.
While it was speculated that Dhoni would play the T20 World Cup in Australia depending on his IPL form, the postponement of the event due to Coronavirus may have disrupted his plans.
Coincidentally, Dhoni's ODI career started with a run out (v Bangladesh in 2004 at Chittagong) and ended the same way in the 2019 World Cup semi-final v New Zealand at Manchester.
Picked MSD to fill X factor need: More
Former stumper Kiran More, who was chairman of the national selection committee which picked MS Dhoni for the first time in 2004, revealed that the wicketkeeper-batsman proved to be the X factor the team needed at that point in time.Dhoni made it in Sourav Ganguly's team that toured Bangladesh in December 2004. "We needed someone who would indulge in some big-hitting and Dhoni filled that need. He was just the X factor we wanted," More told Sunday mid-day. More hailed Dhoni's Independence Day retirement announcement:
"What a beautiful day to quit; what a fine way to go...no dramas, no formal farewell, which is so typical of the man."
Tweet talk
Sachin Tendulkar
@sachin_rt
Your contribution to Indian cricket has been immense, @msdhoni. Winning the 2011 World Cup together has been the best moment of my life. Wishing you and your family all the very best for your 2nd innings.
Virat Kohli
@imVkohli
Every cricketer has to end his journey one day, but still when someone you've gotten to know so closely announces that decision, you feel the emotion much more. What you've done for the country will always remain in everyone's heart......
Virender Sehwag
@virendersehwag
To have a player like him,Mission Impossible. Na Koi Hai,Na Koi Tha, Na Koi Hoga MS ke jaisa. Players will come & go but there won't be a calmer man like him. Dhoni with his connect with people having aspirations was like a family member to many cricket lovers. Om Finishaya Namah
Hardik Pandya
@hardikpandya7
There's only one #MSDhoni. Thank you my friend and elder brother for being the biggest inspiration in my career. Will miss playing with you in the blue jersey but am sure you will always be there for me and will keep guiding
Rashid Khan
@rashidkhan_19
Great Leader great finisher and more importantly great human being @msdhoni Bhai. Thank you
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