Regarded as one of India's greatest cricketers, MS Dhoni announced his retirement from international cricket on Saturday (August 15). The wicketkeeper-batsman disclosed his decision through an Instagram post.
Dhoni’s achievement as a cricketer is surreal, to say the least. He represented India in 90 Tests, 350 ODIs and 98 T20Is, aggregating more than 17000 international runs including 16 centuries.
In particular, Dhoni etched his name in the history books as one of India’s finest captains. He is the only skipper in the history of cricket to have won all the three ICC trophies – 2007 World T20, 2011 Cricket World Cup and 2013 Champions Trophy. He has also led India to the pinnacle in Test cricket.
As the revered cricketer brought down the curtain on his stellar career, wishes poured in for him from the cricketing fraternity.
Former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar showered rich praise on Dhoni and urged the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to give him a farewell match.
"I was confident that MS Dhoni will get a good farewell but that is not what he wants. Playing for India was his biggest dream which he fulfilled.
"It's always a great time to leave when you want to, people shouldn't push you towards retirement. India loves and respects its cricket stars, I know because I have learned that from experience.
"There might be scenario that Dhoni gets a farewell match. BCCI might ask him to play one final time to give him a send-off whenever it is possible in the current scenario because such a big player like Dhoni doesn't deserve to go out with a small message on social media. I hope and India sends him off with a lot of respect and in times to come they use his experience in some way or the other.
"Whoever serves their country for 15-16 will have tons of knowledge and I hope the BCCI utilises that," Akhtar said on his YouTube channel.
The World Cup 2019 semi-final against New Zealand at Old Trafford was Dhoni’s last appearance in Team India colours.
