MS Dhoni already had retirement plans in mind before World Cup 2019, reveals Anjum Chopra

MS Dhoni retired from international cricket on Aug 15.

Dhoni last played for India in the 2019 World Cup | AFP

Legendary Indian cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni has put an end to all the speculations about his international career by hanging up his boots on the 74th Independence Day.

Dhoni made his last international appearance in the 2019 World Cup semi-final against New Zealand and it was speculated that the legendary wicketkeeper batsman's journey ended with the heartbreaking defeat at the event since he made himself unavailable for India selection following the tournament.

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Recently, former India women captain Anjum Chopra has recalled one of his conversations with Dhoni ahead of the 2019 World Cup, revealing that the two discussed his retirement at the event.

Chopra told India Today: “The last time I met him was just before the start of the 2019 World Cup at an event for the Virat Kohli Foundation in London. The entire Indian team was there. I was asking MS ‘I am hearing that you’re hanging up your boots’. All this conversation went on in a very candid and casual manner.”

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She further added: “He said ‘of course someday, you have to hang up your boots’. I said ‘yeah, but don’t do it so soon. Continue playing as much as you can because we’re fans and we want you to be there’. He said ‘I know but every day you have to think when is the last day and everybody has to hang up the boots someday and we have to be practical about it’.”

Chopra signed off: “I replied ‘haan, haan but abhi karne ke liye zaroorat nahi hai (Yes, but you don’t have the need to do it now’. Thoda samai aur, thoda samai aur (A little more time, a little more time). He said ‘aisa samai karke karke kab tak jayenge (how long can this ‘little more time’ business go on’?).”

 
 

By Rashmi Nanda - 20 Aug, 2020

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