Mahendra Singh Dhoni is sui generis in Indian cricket – one of the kind. Now that M S Dhoni has announced his retirement from cricket people are sad. It would have been more fitting for him to have gone after a characteristically game-changing knock, with the fans and other players honouring and cheering him on. Fans were sad enough about Dhoni's exit. The moment was made even more poignant by the announcement of Suresh Raina hanging up his boots also on the same day; 15 August 2020.
Dhoni as captain has been a formidable force and was responsible for some of Indian cricket’s finest moments.
Dhoni arguably impacted Indian cricket more than any other cricketer of his generation.
Many had written the obituary of his cricket career repeatedly but MSD seemed to play yet another knock that showed why his presence was vital to any team he played in.
Fans will remember him not just as a wicketkeeper-batsman and captain, but also as a player who could direct the course of a match.
Dhoni inspired many other cricketers. It isn't just fans; players are also sad to see him go.
Dhoni has been a talented cricketer, a brilliant strategist and a level headed leader.
Dhoni’s humble beginnings have inspired many. His guidance helped shape the abilities of other cricketers and his ability as a leader took Indian cricket to a better place. He is certainly much more than an entertainer.
Fans, proudly known as MSDians are understandably heartbroken. As an admirer of MSD myself, I cannot help wishing that it hadn’t been in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic; that he had received the sendoff he rightly deserved.
As though it wasn’t enough that Dhoni bid adieu to the game, Suresh Raina did the same as well.
For many this was a double whammy – everyone wished the outgoing cricketers the best for their future endeavours.
Raina has had many claims to fame in his illustrious cricket career. He is also the youngest to lead Indian men's T20I side.
The timing of the announcement – as India completes 73 years of independence was poignant. This had to do with the fact that Dhoni wore jersey no 7 and Raina wore jersey no 3.
Known to be quick between the wickets, now both players have retired together.
So 2020 continues to be a pretty terrible year for many reasons – the retirement of M S Dhoni and Suresh Raina from cricket just made 2020 that little bit worse for some of us.
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