New Delhi, August 15
India's legendary captain and wicketkeeper MS Dhoni announced his retirement from international cricket on this day five years ago, pulling the curtains down on a career that redefined the standard and status of Indian cricket.
At 7:29 pm on August 15, 2020, the announcement left the world of cricket at a standstill after Dhoni and his long-time compatriot and friend Suresh Raina announced that they had their last dance in the international circuit.
It wasn't a long retirement note that Dhoni penned to bid adieu. With a simple message on Instagram, he wrote, "Thanks a lot for your support throughout. From 1929 hrs consider me as Retired."
'Thala', skipper, icon, legend, trophy collector, ICC Hall of Famer. A man with every trophy he could have, commanding respect and adoration worldwide, sums up Dhoni's record-defining career.
He didn't tilt at windmills or jump on the bandwagons, but earned a reputation with his calm demeanour. From Ranchi to the grandest stage of the sport, 'Captain Cool' is not only amongst the world's best with his great stature, but also a revolutionary.
In his maiden captaincy stint, Dhoni led India to the T20 World Cup title in the inaugural edition of the tournament in 2007. In 2011, he ended decades of waiting for the ICC ODI World Cup title. In 2013, while facing immense scrutiny, he silenced his doubters by claiming the Champions Trophy.
With 17,266 international runs, 829 dismissals and 538 matches across formats for India, the 44-year-old etched his name in the history book. His exit from the Test format was a subtle case, as he called it a day after featuring in the Boxing Day Test against Australia in 2014.
He made 90 appearances, amassed 4,876 runs at an average of 38.09. He scored six centuries and 33 half-centuries, with the best score of 224. Despite his swansong in red-ball format, Dhoni continued with his endeavours in the white-ball formats and extended his legacy.
Dhoni's strongest format remained the ODIs. In 350 fixtures, he hammered a whopping 10,773 runs at an average of 50.57. He scored 10 centuries and 73 fifties for India, with the best score of 183*.
In 98 T20Is for India, scoring 1,617 runs at an average of 37.60, at a strike rate of 126.13. He has two half-centuries in the format, with the best score of 56. Five years since his last hit at the international stage, Dhoni has aged like a fine wine and continued his stint in the cash-rich Indian Premier League for Chennai Super Kings.
- ANI
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