Former India skipper MS Dhoni announced his international retirement on Saturday (August 15) through an Instagram post, bringing down the curtain on a stellar career.
With this announcement, Dhoni finally put an end to all the speculations surrounding his future. The World Cup 2019 semi-final against New Zealand at Old Trafford was his last appearance in Team India colours.
Reacting on his retirement, former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan said Dhoni would have pushed himself for a national comeback had the T20 World Cup not been postponed.
It is pertinent to mention here that the COVID-19 pandemic forced the International Cricket Council (ICC) to suspend this year’s T20 World Cup in Australia. The global T20 tournament is now scheduled to be held in India in October-November next year.
“Obviously, we all were talking about what's going to happen with MS Dhoni going ahead because he has been an absolute legend of the game and he has achieved so much,” Pathan told Cricketnext in an exclusive chat.
“But there is not much cricket in terms of T20 or one-day going ahead. The T20 World Cup is also going to happen at the end of the next year. If the T20 World Cup would have been there in Australia, we would have seen Dhoni pushing himself and keeping himself fit to that level, and that mindset as well,” he added.
“But now the World Cup isn't happening and this news has come. It was inevitable. All the legends retire one day, and today is the day of Mahendra Singh Dhoni,” he continued.
Irfan also shared his first memory of Dhoni, who represented India in 90 Tests, 350 ODIs and 98 T20Is after making debut in 2004.
“My first memory of Dhoni obviously was playing in Bangladesh, when he got run out on zero. But even before that, I played a practice game against him when he just came fresh from India A tour. We were playing in Bangalore and I bowled a bouncer to him and he smashed that bouncer even though I had a deep square leg. It went only for one run but I realised that this guy has power, that's my first memory of Mahendra Singh Dhoni,” he remarked.
Team India tasted huge success under Dhoni’s captaincy, winning the 2007 World T20, 2011 Cricket World Cup and 2013 Champions Trophy. He also led the team to pinnacle in Test cricket.
Talking about his best moment with Dhoni, Pathan said: “The best moment with him was obviously winning the T20 World Cup together. On and off the field, we had so many great memories. We had quite a few meals together. There used to be a time before 2007 when we hardly missed a meal, we always used to eat together.”
“One unforgettable thing he has said... there have been quite a few things. One thing he always tells the bowlers especially who is bowling at the death, even if you go for 15 runs I'm okay with that because the situation demands at the moment, which makes the bowler relax,” he concluded.
