Friday, April 26, 2024
Speculation is rife that cricket legend MS Dhoni, who made his international debut in a one-day match against Bangladesh in 2004, may soon retire from Indian Premier League, the multi-billion dollar shorter format of the game, barely two months after he quit international cricket following a 16-year-long storied career.
What fueled the speculation is Dhoni giving away his number seven jersey to the Pandya brothers -- Hardik and Krunal -- following the end of a recent IPL match between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings, in which the former lost to the latter. After an earlier IPL match too against Rajasthan Royals, Dhoni had given away his jersey.
In fact, Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings had a torrid time in IPL 2020 as they lost eighth of their 11 games played so far in the UAE.
On August 15, the 39-year-old former captain of the Indian cricket team had announced his retirement from one-day international cricket through a video message on Instagram, its caption reading: “Thanks – Thanks a lot for ur love and support throughout. From 19.29 hrs consider me as Retired."
Dhoni had retired from Test cricket in 2014, with 4876 runs from 90 matches. However, he continued playing the limited over format of the game and stepped down as India's one-day team captain in 2017, with 10,733 runs. His overall Indian numbers are 538 matches, 17,266 runs, 16 centuries, 108 fifties, 359 sixes, 829 dismissals.
Dhoni is said to be India’s most successful captain in limited-overs internationals, having won three ICC trophies -- 2007 T20 World Cup, 50-overs World Cup in 2011 and the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy.
