New Delhi: This day in 2020, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who reshaped Indian cricket through his unconventional captaincy and bold batting style, bid adieu to his illustrious 15-year-long international cricketing career.
The wicketkeeper-batter announced his retirement through a social media post with a mashup of photos from his playing days along with Mukesh’s song “Main Pal Do Pal Ka Shair Hoon” as background music.
“Thanks a lot for your love and support throughout. From 1929 hrs consider me as retired,” Dhoni had captioned the post.
The veteran wicketkeeper stands as the lone captain to guide a team to victory in all the significant ICC tournaments. His inaugural leadership venture came with India’s conquest at the T20 World Cup 2007 in South Africa, and his most cherished achievement remains the ODI World Cup 2011 victory.
Dhoni completed the lot with the title at the 2013 Champions Trophy, which to this day, remains the last ICC silverware that India have won.
In his role as captain, he steered India in 60 Test matches, securing victory in 27, facing defeat in 18, and concluding 15 with draws. His win rate of 45.00% remains notably one of the highest among captains of the Indian team throughout different epochs.
His performance in the shorter formats was even more remarkable. Overseeing India in 72 T20Is, he triumphed in 41, suffered 28 losses, experienced one tie, and encountered two no-results. His success rate in this format stood at an admirable 56.94%.
Starting from his debut in December 2004 and concluding with his retirement announcement in August 2020, Dhoni left an enduring impression on the world of sports. He scored scored 10,773 ODI runs in 350 games 4876 runs in 90 Tests,
Behind the stumps, Dhoni was a formidable presence, concluding his career as the third-most accomplished international wicket-keeper with a total of 829 dismissals.
Even after his retirement from international cricket in 2020, the player maintains his association with the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Under his leadership, the franchise has clinched five IPL championships, the latest of which was achieved in the May 2023 edition.
IANS
