Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who will be leading Chennai Super Kings, in the Indian Premier League, has announced retirement from all forms of international cricket.
The announcement has come a day after the Chennai Super Kings have assembled in the Tamil Nadu Capital for a brief camp before the team’s departure to the UAE for the IPL 2020.
Captain Dynamic has led India to title triumph in all the three major ICC tournaments – the 2007 T20 World Cup, the 2011 ODI World Cup, and the ICC Champions Trophy.
It was also under Dhoni’s leadership that India had topped the ICC Test rankings for the first time in 2009.
It was always known that Dhoni’s retirement will never be a big event. The veteran of 538 international matches took to social media to announce his retirement. “Thanks. Thanks a lot for your (ur) love and support throughout. From 1929 hours consider me as retired,” he mentioned on his official Instagram accounts @mahi7781.
He leaves behind a legacy of 17,266 runs; 16 centuries, 108 half-centuries, 359 sixes, 634 catches and 195 stumptings before calling curtains on one of the most successful careers in international cricketers.
An emotional Mahi bid adieu to an inspiring career with his favourite song, befitting for the occasion – Main pal do pal ka shayar hun.. pal do pal meri kahani hai.. pal do pal meri hasti hai… pal do pal meri jawani hai… (I am a poet of several hours… my story is for several hours… my existence is for several hours and my prime is for several hours…)
At his prime, Mahi also emerged as the biggest brand icon from Indian sports and global cricket, only to be superseded by Virat Kohli.
The emergence of a shy Ranchi boy as one of the most successful captains in world cricket, rise to an iconic player who commanded the best brand value for an Indian sportsperson will remain a legend for the sport.
Dhoni before making a public announcement had formally informed the Board of Control for Cricket in India about his decision to announce the retirement.
His dominant career will read as 350 ODI, 90 Test matches and 98 Twenty20 internationals – worth respectively
4,876 runs, 256 catch and 38 stumpings; 10,773 runs, 321 catches and 123 stumpings; and 1,617 runs, 57 catches and 57 stumpings.