For the last sixteen years, the number seven jersey hasn’t just been an ordinary jersey for Indian cricket fans. It was an emotion, an emotion of strength and pride, and most of all relief. It was a feeling that everything will be all right at the end of the match. Whenever India was reeling at 20/5, people would say ‘Dhoni hai na, sambhal lega’ (Dhoni will take care of it). On 15th August, MS Dhoni announced his retirement from international cricket. It was India’s 73rd Independence Day, and it was the end of an era.

 

A quick walk down memory lane: The crowd at Old Trafford had emerged in vibrant colours. It was the semi-finals of the World Cup and a spot in the finals was up for grabs. An interesting first innings ensued, with New Zealand setting up a fairly achievable target of 240 against the Men In Blue. India stepped on the field to chase the total down, and within 20 overs, they were reeling at 71/5 when MS Dhoni walked to the crease. All hopes were pinned on him. He did his best to steady the ship, but constant losses of wickets on the other end didn’t soothe anyone’s nerves. Jadeja helped get India on the brink of victory with a breezy cameo. Needing 24 off the last 10 wasn’t a hard job for MS. A merciless twist of fate followed, and New Zealand booked a spot in the final. Dhoni tried to get back for a second, but Guptill’s sharp throw was a bit too fast for him.

 

More than India’s loss, it was the heartbroken expression of MSD after his dismissal that brought tears to people’s eyes. The great man, who served his country for 15 years, couldn’t finish it off one last time. An interesting fact that people noticed was his international career both started and ended with run-outs. However, the first one didn’t cause devastation to more than 1.2 billion people. 

 

Ok, change of scene. A glimpse of psychology on the field. The match I distinctly remember was the 21st of April, 2019. RCB was up against CSK, and it was a vital match for RCB who were languishing in the bottom half of the table. Last over of the game, 24 to win by CSK and yet, you could feel the pressure of MS on the opposition. Despite having the advantage, Virat had his hand on his head, trying to wipe off his tension, praying for the win. Even though Mahi couldn’t finish that one off like he normally does, it portrayed a rare feat of psychological tactics on the field. 

One of the greatest captains to have ever graced the game of cricket, Dhoni was known for his impeccable strategies and tactics. He had faith in his players even when they didn’t. He was the sole motivation for Deepak Chahar in the CSK squad, and now he is the front-line fast-bowler for them. Former Indian player Subramanian Badrinath says, “If Dhoni doesn’t place his trust in you, even god cannot help you.” 

 

Mahi is the only person who has led his team to victory in three ICC trophies, out of which, the most memorable was where he ‘finishes it off in style’. 

 

Dhoni’s tactical brilliance comes into the spotlight when he keeps the wickets. There are innumerable examples where MS made a change in the field or asked a bowler to bowl to a specific area, and the very next ball, the batsman was walking away bewildered at the raised finger of the umpire, wondering what hit him. 

 

In his retirement announcement via an Instagram post, he says “From 1929hrs, consider me retired.” Speculation has disclosed that the time comes by the fact that it was around the time India lost the match to New Zealand last year. If the reference to 1929 hrs is true, it shows that he is still dwelling on that loss. The proof of his greatness is in the fact that in many people’s eyes, that run out was one of the only memories they had of Mahi - the time when Dhoni didn’t do it.

 

Indian cricket isn’t affected very badly, as many people saw this coming. The weaning away of Dhoni from the team has been going on for a while now. The shift of captaincy from Dhoni to Virat too was slow and the squad had plenty of time to move away from him. But, his cheery absence from the dressing room and the field will be terribly missed.

 

After Dhoni’s retirement, Sunil Gavaskar said, “When I die the last thing I want to see is the six that Dhoni hit in the 2011 World Cup final.”

 

As far as Mahi is concerned, his wonderful family, his cricket academy and his affiliation with the Indian army are enough to keep him occupied. Will we ever see him in the commentary box? Well, with MS one can only speculate.