Mumbai: Paying tribute to arguably one of the best Indian captains in the history of the game, Ravi Shastri hailed the Ranchi lad’s wicket keeping skills by calling him faster than the best pickpockets. The comment added a dash of quirkiness amid the emotional outpour of reactions post MSD announced his retirement on Instagram Saturday night.
The captain cool wrote “consider me retired” on his Instagram page. Shastri offered his take on the impact made by the two-time World Cup-winner in his trademark quirky style. “This man is second to none. And coming from where he did, he changed cricket for all times to come. And his beauty is he did it in all formats,” Shastri told a media channel.
“For me what stood out was his stumpings and his run outs. He had such fast hands that he was at times faster than any pickpocket,” he said.
Recalling Dhoni’s achievements, Shastri said despite making a lasting impact and an indelible legacy, Dhoni’s calm demeanour and humility made him unique and lovable.
“T20 – he has won a World Cup and multiple IPL titles. 50 overs – he has won a World Cup. Test cricket – he has taken India to the number one position in the world. Played 90 Test matches,” he said.
“And he always took life as it came. From his days in Kharagpur to his days as an Indian cricketer he was always in the moment. And in retirement also he has moved on.
“As I said he is second to none,” he added.
The former cricketer said Dhoni set a new bar in wicketkeeping despite not being a “natural”.
“…but (he) was effective as hell. Look at the impact he had…The batsman wouldn’t even realise that Dhoni had taken the bails off and that’s something that added to his aura.
“In any list of cricket’s greatest, not greats but the greatest, you have to include this man,” he signed off.
Dhoni last played for India in July 2019 in the World Cup semifinal match against New Zealand that India lost. He went on a sabbatical post that but remained a subject of wide speculation, which ended with his announcement Saturday.
He will, however, be seen in action leading the Chennai Super Kings in the IPL from September 19 in the UAE. The event has been moved out of India this year due tothe COVID-19 pandemic.
PNN/Agencies