Mahendra Singh Dhoni: An Indian hero and a global icon

It was going to happen sooner rather than later, and on Saturday, 15 August, Mahendra Singh Dhoni ended the mystery surrounding his international future. The former Indian captain announced his retirement from international cricket, pulling down the curtains on a magnificent 15-year career. Dhoni’s retirement did not come as a major surprise; he turned 39 […]
 
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Mahendra Singh Dhoni: An Indian hero and a global icon

It was going to happen sooner rather than later, and on Saturday, 15 August, Mahendra Singh Dhoni ended the mystery surrounding his international future. The former Indian captain announced his retirement from international cricket, pulling down the curtains on a magnificent 15-year career.

Dhoni’s retirement did not come as a major surprise; he turned 39 in July and had not played for India in over a year. He departs the international stage as one of the greatest cricketers India has ever produced. 

Dhoni changed the face of Indian cricket, guiding the country to No. 1 in the Test rankings for the first time, and scripting several limited overs conquests. He was very much his own man.

He batted in his inimitable style, and captained in his own way. He was a unique blend of smartness and aggression; an efficient mix of grit and flair. Dhoni wore the Indian shirt with great pride and heart.

Also ReadDhoni finishes off in style once again!

Captain Cool led India to the 2007 World T20 title, before delivering the highly coveted World Cup in 2011, famously scoring the match-winning six in the final against Sri Lanka in Mumbai.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni: An Indian hero and a global icon

He was also at the helm when they won the ICC Champions Trophy in 2013. He is the only captain to have won all three major international tournaments.

Dhoni was good at Test level, but it was in the limited overs formats of the game that he was truly monstrous. His incredible numbers include 10,773 runs in 350 ODIs, at an average of just over 50.

MSD was not the most technically-gifted batsman- he is no Sunil Gavaskar or Sachin Tendulkar- but he found new ways to score runs. Be it scratching around for singles or muscling the ball over the fence, he held together that lower middle order for a very long time.

Also Read: End of an era: Mahendra Singh Dhoni hangs up his gloves in International Cricket

In his prime, he masterminded many improbable run chases. With Dhoni at the crease, there was always a chance, regardless of the score. Many fans would confidently back the team on betting sites in India, and Dhoni’s men often delivered.

Dhoni was one of the few cricketers that enjoyed genuine love from fans all over the world. The charismatic skipper transcended Indian cricket and brought new converts to the game.

In an era of fanatics and banter, the great man had the respect and admiration of everyone, including opposition players and fans. His unruffled demeanor was as infectious as his explosive batting.

It is not all doom and gloom for Dhoni fans! He might have called time on his international career, but he is still very much around to play in domestic tournaments like the Indian Premier League.

Also Read: The Camaraderie of MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina on the field

Dhoni is part of the Chennai Super Kings team that will be looking to wrestle the IPL title away from the Mumbai Indians when the tournament begins in the United Arab Emirates on 19 September. 

His batting prowess may have waned with age, but do not rule out Dhoni inspiring Chennai to a fourth IPL title in a couple of months. So if you are into Indian Premier League betting, you may want to take an early chance and do a bit of IPL betting with MSD and his Super Kings!

With the weight of team India officially off his shoulders, maybe Dhoni can further free his arms and stir Chennai to another IPL success.