On this day last year: India skipper MS Dhoni announces retirement from cricket
On this day last year, former India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni announced his retirement from the international Cricket Federation
Taking to Instagram, the wicketkeeper-batsman Dhoni shared a video and captioned the post, “Thanks a lot for ur love and support throughout. from 1929 hrs consider me as Retired.”
The video had the iconic song ‘Mai Pal Do Pal Ka Shayar Hu’ from Amitabh Bachchan’s ‘Kabhie Kabhie’ playing in the background, Dhoni shared his incredible journey in the Indian side including his run out in the last game against New Zealand in the World Cup 2019 semi-final.
Dhoni’s meteoric rise in Indian cricket is the stuff of legends. He came into the limelight in 2005 with his blistering 183 not out knock against Sri Lanka in Visakhapatnam while making his trademark helicopter shot an instant national sensation.
MS Dhoni is the only captain in the history of cricket to win all ICC trophies. Under his captaincy, India won the 2007 ICC World Twenty20, the 2010 and 2016 Asia Cups, the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup and the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy.
Dhoni’s last outing in India colours was during the lost World Cup semi-final against New Zealand in 2019.
One of the best runners between the wickets was run out following a hard-earned 50 in that tense game, shattering Indian hopes and leaving him in a state of disbelief.
The reticent lad from Ranchi will, however, go down as one of the finest to have played the game for India, turning up for the country in a whopping 350 ODIs, 90 Tests and 98 T20 Internationals.
Dhoni signed off as an ODI legend with 10,773 runs, averaging more than 50 despite batting between No.5 and 7 for a major chunk of his career.
In the Test format, Dhoni accumulated 4876 runs at an average of 38.09 and led India to more wins (27) than anyone else before him.
Whether it was handing the ball to rookie Joginder Sharma in the final over of the 2007 World T20 or pushing himself ahead of man-in-form Yuvraj Singh in the 2011 50-over World Cup, Dhoni’s instincts rarely failed him.
For the record, India lifted the trophy on both occasions, propelling him to cult status in a country which remains hopelessly in love with all things cricket.
The IPL was also his happy hunting ground where he was the revered ‘Thala’, leading the Chennai Super Kings to three trophies. He will be eager to add one more IPL trophy in his cabinet the tournament will resume in UAE, later this year.
