Former India cricketer MS Dhoni retired from international cricket on August 15, 2020. The two-time World Cup-winning captain had already quit Test cricket in 2014, but he continued the limited-overs cricket till World Cup 2019.
India's Test spinner R Ashwin, who has played with Dhoni for a long time for the Indian cricket team and Chennai Super Kings, recalled the time when the 39-year-old had said goodbye to Test cricket.
Talking about Dhoni's last Test match in 2014, Ashwin said he was wearing his Indian cricket jersey entire night and also got emotional.
“I remember when he retired from Test cricket in 2014, I was batting with him to save the match in Melbourne,” said Ashwin on his YouTube channel “Reminisce with Ash”.
“But once we lost, he simply picked up a stump and walked off saying he’s done. It was quite an emotional moment for him. Ishant Sharma, Suresh Raina and I were sitting in his room that evening. He was still wearing his Test match jersey through the entire night and he shed a few tears as well.”
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Ashwin admitted he learned a lot from the former India captain while playing at any level. "I first met him as a net bowler during an India-West Indies ODI at Chepauk. And then when I joined Chennai Super Kings in 2008, I got to work with him and learn a lot. He had that long hair when I met him earlier but then after spending time with him at CSK I realized what a mature leader he was,” he said.
The off-spinner shared valuable advice from Dhoni which he still follows. “During the 2010 Champions League, he taught me a very important lesson. I bowled the Super Over against the Victoria Bushrangers [CSK lost the game] and MS came up to me and said, ‘you didn’t bowl your best ball under pressure. You’ve got the carrom ball and you need to use it a lot more’.
“And that’s something he always maintained with respect to me. He said I was very, very innovative, and skillful and I must keep sharpening this aspect of my game. This advice stuck with me and I follow it to date,” said Ashwin.
