End of an Era!!!! Captain Cool Dhoni
This is heartbreaking to hear that the Former Indian Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni has retired from International cricket. Million of cricket fans are going to miss you Captain Cool. The way you lead Indian Team is Incredible. The man who taught us the real meaning of LEADERSHIP.
Struggle as a beginner
A man from Ranchi who saw a dream to play for the Indian Cricket Team. His journey was too harsh to reach those milestones. He started his career at District level. Based upon his performance at club cricket, he was selected for the 1997/98 season Vinoo Mankad Trophy Under-16 Championship and he performed well. But meanwhile under his father’s pressure he had to call off cricket. Dhoni served as a Travelling Ticket Examiner (TTE) at Kharagpur Railway Station from 2001 to 2003.
In 2004, MSD was selected for team India. Dhoni did not have a great start to his ODI career, getting run out on duck in his very first international match.
Great knocks by MSD
91 not out against Sri Lanka, 2011:-
Undoubtedly, one of his best knocks was the one that he played in the ICC World Cup Final 2011. Dhoni in spite of not having a good tournament, promoted himself up in the batting order. He hit the winning six off Nuwan Kulasekara which made India lift the World Cup trophy after 28 years.
183 not out against Sri Lanka, 2005
183 is the highest individual score by Dhoni. He absolutely slaughtered the Lankan bowling as they had no answer to him. He did get hurt while batting but then carried on with a runner. In spite of that, he played a really well inning that day.
148 against Pakistan, 2005
Dhoni’s maiden ODI century came against Pakistan at Visakhapatnam in 2005 when India was playing the second ODI against Pakistan in the 6-match series. Dhoni’s partnership with Dravid finished with 148 runs off 123 balls. Dhoni eventually won the Man of the Match award.
124 against Australia, 2009
The second game at Nagpur saw Dhoni play a vital 124-runs knock off 107 balls to take the Indian score to 354–7 in 50 overs. He baffled the ball by hitting 3 sixes and 9 fours in that innings.
Dhoni Behind the Stumps
Cricket is a game of fine margins, and brilliant Wicket Keeping can change the course of the match in seconds. Wicket keepers are the backbone for any side in cricket, as they are considered to have the most important position in the field of play.
“ The Fastest hands behind the stumps” this statement perfectly symbolizes MSD behind the stumps. India has never produced a wicket keeper like him, that reads the game so successfully. Under pressure when India needs a wicket, he will produce a moment of magic out of nowhere and send the batsman back to the pavilion. Dhoni in 532 matches has snaffled 628 catches along with a record 193 stumping. Dhoni is a magician with gloves in hand and it doesn’t matter if they are batting or Wicket keeping gloves as he is simply sensational.
Acheivments of MSD
MS Dhoni is the only Indian captain who has led India to all three major ICC events. From winning the maiden T20 World Cup in 2007 on his captaincy debut to lead India to a World Cup victory on home soil in 2011. In 2013 he has won the Champions Trophy.
Under his captaincy, India holds the numero uno position in Test ranking for 18 months.
MS Dhoni is the only non-Australian captain who has led his team for more than 100 matches. He is the third captain to win 100 matches after two Australian captains, Ricky Ponting and Allan Border.
2013, after winning Champions Trophy, it made Dhoni grabbing all three ICC trophies in his kitty. In Champions Trophy, India was the only team who was unbeaten. In the final, India defeated England by 5 runs.
2008 and 2009 Dhoni was awarded as the ICC Player of the Year.
In 2011, 2012 and 2013 under Dhoni’s captaincy, India was named as ICC team of the year.
FINALLY…………
In his entire life, he was the fastest runner in International cricket but ended his career with a RUN OUT!!!
Every cricketer has to retire one day and we are going to miss you MAHI SIR. You will be our forever and ever CAPTAIN COOL. Thanks for all the countless Goosebumps you gave to us.
