MS Dhoni called time on his illustrious international career on August 15, 2020, on the eve of the 74th country’s Independence Day. He had made his debut in 2004 and played his last match in blue jersey in 2019.
Dhoni’s career was filled with ups and downs, but the ups were more celebrated than anything. He won the 2007 World T20, 2011 World Cup and 2013 Champions Trophy- becoming the only captain to win all three ICC trophies. This brought joy to the whole country apart from the fact that he led the Indian team to the no.1 rank in ICC Test rankings for the first time as well.
Outside the world of cricket, Dhoni was famous for his support to the Indian armed forces and he holds an honorary Lt. Col rank in the Indian Territorial Army and in August 2019 completed a two-week stint with the Territorial Army in Jammu and Kashmir.
BJP leader Subramanian Swamy reveals why MS Dhoni should fight the 2024 Lok Sabha elections
While tributes flowed from across the globe after Dhoni retired, he recently shared an appreciation letter that he received from none other than the Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi.
PM Modi addressed the letter to ‘Mahendra’ and called him a phenomenon and lauded his rise from humble beginnings to a worldwide known name. He called him an inspiration for many youngsters. The PM also lauded his ability to take calculated risks citing the example of 2007 World T20 final against Pakistan.
He also highlighted his association with the armed forces and hoped that Sakshi and Ziva get to spend more time with him.
MS Dhoni shared the letter on his Twitter account with the caption reading, “An Artist, Soldier and Sportsperson what they crave for is appreciation, that their hard work and sacrifice is getting noticed and appreciated by everyone. thanks PM @narendramodi for your appreciation and good wishes.”
