Just before announcing his retirement from all forms of international cricket, Mahendra Singh Dhoni has had nearly two and a half an hour-long practice session with his Chennai Super Kings team. Surprisingly, neither the team owner N Srinivas nor Chief Executive Kashi Vishwanathan was aware that Dhoni is going to break the news that will be the biggest headline for Indian media over the news a few days.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni has packed up his blue flannels with the Board of Control for Cricket in India logo. Chennai Super Kings team management does not want their skipper to nurture similar thoughts soon about the yellow jersey with a roaring lion’s image on the chest.
Chennai Super Kings want Dhoni to continue to represent the team in the Indian Premier League for as long as possible. They don’t want that the captain takes any such decision soon.
“We certainly hope that he doesn’t make a decision like that and quit CSK,” Chief Executive Kashi Viswanathan told national daily Times of India. “He (Dhoni) has quit international cricket only. He is going to play for CSK. We want him to play for us as long as he wants. In fact, we plan to retain him as a player after the 2021 IPL too.”
Dhoni’s retirement on Saturday has taken even CSK team owner N Srinivasan and CEO by surprise. Minutes before taking to social media for breaking the news about his decision, Dhoni was practicing with the CSK squad in Chennai from 4:30 pm to 7:30 pm. Shortly after that in his trademark style, the iconic wicket-keeper batsman and one of international cricket’s most successfully announced to consider himself retired from international cricket after 7:29 pm.
Viswanathan revealed that there was no hint of Dhoni’s impending decision from his body language when he was batting. “The practice started around 4:30 pm and Dhoni finished around 7:00 and went back to the dressing room. Half an hour later, I received a text from our owner N Srinivasan, asking me to check whether the news was correct.
“I confronted Dhoni when he returned from the dressing room and he confirmed the news,” Viswanathan informed.
“His decision completely took us by surprise but he showed no emotions. He was as cool and calm as ever. The Indian team and CSK have achieved success over the years under Dhoni’s captaincy because there was clarity in his thoughts. On Saturday, too, I could see the same clarity in his decision,” he concluded.