5 times MS Dhoni was much more than a cricketer
Former Indian captain MS Dhoni took to Instagram yesterday to announce his retirement from international cricket. The post featured a compilation of his best moments in India colours, and was captioned:
"Thanks. Thanks a lot for ur love and support throughout.from 1929 hrs consider me as Retired."
Soon after, his friend and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) teammate Suresh Raina followed suit, stating on his Instagram that he is joining MS Dhoni on this journey.
In the wake of this shocking development, various tributes have poured in from all corners of the cricketing fraternity. Almost every one of MS Dhoni's teammates have come out and thanked the 39-year-old for his help and service to the country.
But MS Dhoni was, and still is, much more than a cricketer. We take a look at 5 instances that confirmed the same.
#5 MS Dhoni refuses to let the Indian flag touch the ground
MS Dhoni is known for being patriotic, and he has displayed this on innumerable occasions in the past. One recent incident that comes to mind is from a T20I between India and New Zealand in 2019.
A fan ran on to pitch while the wicket-keeper was donning the gloves, and fell at his feet with the Indian flag in hand. As the fan bent down, however, the tricolour brushed the floor.
MS Dhoni immediately caught hold of the flag, before briefly acknowledging the fan's gesture. This is just one of many such incidents, but the fact that it happened in his last year in international cricket, as well as the team against which he played his last game, lends immense poetic value to it.
#4 When MS Dhoni cancelled a trip that Gary Kirsten wasn't allowed to attend
Former Indian coach Gary Kirsten recently narrated a story in which the team was scheduled to go on a trip to an air school in Bengaluru. However, the South African and his support staff were denied entry as they were considered to be a safety risk.
MS Dhoni cancelled the trip altogether, saying that they're not going if everyone is not allowed to go. Kirsten shed some light on the incident:
"We had a couple of foreigners in our support staff, and we got word back on the morning before the whole team was meant to go, while everyone was looking forward to the event - that the three South Africans, which were myself, Paddy Upton and Eric Simmons, weren't going to be allowed into the flight school because it was seen as a potential security risk."
"So MS cancelled the whole event. He just said, 'These are my people. If they're not allowed in, none of us are going'. And that was what he was all about."