Bas ek hi dream adhura reh gaya (only one dream remained unfulfilled),” laments Ram Babu, the ardent MS Dhoni fan. “I wanted to see Mahi sir retire on the ground with me waving the India flag from the stands and then next to him. If he had done it that way, I and the entire country would have felt better.”
For 15 years, Babu had criss-crossed India and other countries in the subcontinent to cheer Dhoni in almost 200 India games. The team would give him a complimentary pass, and like Tendulkar fan Sudhir Chaudhary, Babu too would paint the tri-colour on his body with 7, Dhoni’s jersey number, prominent.
Though Dhoni’s die-hard fans will be disappointed, the timing has been just right. Had he chased a grand farewell, Dhoni would have unnecessarily stretched his India career. An ICC ODI World Cup semifinal, with a fighting half-century in the last innings, though in a losing cause, is not that bad. It saved India, 92/6 at one stage, humiliation as they ended just 18 runs short of victory.
If Dhoni doubted whether there was gas in the tank in that game against New Zealand, he merely had to look at the other end. Ravindra Jadeja was the aggressor and Dhoni was backing up (his strike rate was 69.44 to Jadeja’s 130.50). At his prime, it would be Dhoni who would have taken on the bowling.
Ajit Agarkar, who played in Dhoni’s India debut game, recalls: “Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh changed the concept of chasing in ODIs. They were so good at it that after their success, other teams also started to field first on winning the toss.”
The former India all-rounder lists the efforts he saw from the dressing room. “His 183 not out (145 balls) versus Sri Lanka at Jaipur (2005) and the chase at Lahore (ODI vs Pakistan, 2006)—Sri Lanka had posted a massive total (298/4) and Dhoni batted at No. 3 and won it. The atmosphere in the dressing room went crazy when he started smashing sixes (10). At Lahore too, Pakistan had posted a very good total (288/8) and their bowlers were in fine rhythm. Dhoni finished it off (72* off 46 balls) with a big partnership with Yuvraj.”
“He is a lovely guy who would get along with everyone in the dressing room,” says Agarkar. “He has stayed that way. Whenever he meets, he is very courteous.”
Brand Dhoni took shape in that game thanks to his mane as Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf told Dhoni at the presentation: “A lot of placards in the crowd have suggested that you should get a haircut, but if you take my advice, you look good in this hairstyle.”
Dhoni’s brand value has remained huge. In such situations, much consideration goes into taking retirement calls. Despite retirement usually making a dent on brand value, he would have seen the writing on the wall.
Wriddhiman Saha, India’s first-choice Test wicketkeeper in tough, spin-friendly conditions, talks about their camaraderie. “Like to the rest of the world, he was also an example to me. Be it in the India dressing room or at Chennai Super Kings, I never stopped learning from Dhoni. I implemented a lot of that in my career.
“I remember during the 2014-15 Australia tour—the first Test was delayed due to Phil Hughes’s death. (Skipper) Dhoni was supposed arrive later as he had a finger injury but joined the squad three days before the Test. The first thing he told me was ‘Saha, tension mat le, tu hi khelega, main nahi’ (Don’t worry, you’re playing, not me)’.”
Saha’s Test career started under Dhoni. The Bengal keeper recalls how the captain nonchalantly informed him about his selection. “My debut (Nagpur, 2010) also happened just like that. I was giving throwdowns to S Badrinath. Dhoni was going for toss when he saw me and said, ‘You’re playing’. I smiled at him nervously. He started walking but stopped, turned to me and said: ‘I’m serious, you’re playing’.”
A senior’s career depends on how indispensable he is to the team. With Rishabh Pant inconsistent, Dhoni was the back-up option in shorter formats. But KL Rahul emerging as a safe keeping option shut the door on him.
His guiding bowlers from behind the wicket will be missed though. “He will be missed immensely, especially (by) the bowlers,” says ex-India ’keeper Kiran More, who was chief selector when Dhoni was first picked in 2004. “The ideas he gave, talking to the spinners, telling them where to bowl to which batsman in what situation—that made a huge impact on the team’s performances.”
LEADERSHIP JOURNEY
Dhoni’s biggest legacy will be his foresight as a leader. India are among the dominant teams under Virat Kohli, and VVS Laxman largely credits Dhoni for the current side’s success, how he handled transition when seniors—Laxman himself, Rahul Dravid, Virender Sehwag, Zaheer Khan and Sachin Tendulkar—retired or faded away.
“Watch him grow as a person and leader is something I would cherish. Standing at slips next to him for most of my career, I could see how brilliant he was. Seeing his interactions with the players, it was evident how he would address the situation. His reading of the game was impeccable. I really admired his equanimity as far as results were concerned,” he says. “He has inspired everyone and been a great ambassador for the game.”
Dilip Vengsarkar, who was chief selector when Dhoni was appointed skipper, says: “He was not even captain of his state team when we appointed him for the 2007 World T20. You select a person (captain) with your gut feeling; you don’t know how he will fare but he proved to be one of the greatest.”
August 15 was an emotional day for Keshav Banerjee, former physical education teacher at Dhoni’s school in Ranchi. It was he who planted the seeds of wicketkeeping in the boy’s mind and has followed his career with pride. The emotional Banerjee says: “Retirement is always a sad day, whether you retire from service or as a sportsperson. It has been very fulfilling to see Dhoni. I merely helped Dhoni; he helped Indian cricket.”
