SK Flashback: When MS Dhoni retired from Test Cricket
Sometimes in order to understand the significance of an event, we need to go back to the past.
It was the 13th of December 2014. India were chasing a stiff target of 364 runs on the final day of the Adelaide Test against Australia. If this was an Indian team the fan had gotten used to, then a draw was already a foregone conclusion.
But this was a different unit under the leadership of Virat Kohli for the first time and led by him, they put in a performance to remember, only to falter at the final hurdle.
Watching this gutsy chase from the dressing room was the real leader. MS Dhoni, could not play in this game because of an injury but had joined the side during the Test. While at that point none of us common men could foresee the future, the man from Ranchi had already created a succession plan in his mind, unknown to anyone.
The start of the end
Dhoni returned to take over the reigns in the following Test in Brisbane. And immediately, the old signs returned. After posting 408 runs on the board, India had Australia on the ropes at 247 for 6.
Mitchell Johnson entered to join Steve Smith and then began the slow death.
They say ”Never wake a Wounded Tiger Up”, but India clearly had not heard of this line. Opting for a short ball strategy, which had worked wonders at Lord’s only a few months back, they began to lose the plot and quick.
Johnson, who had endured a torrid time with the ball in Adelaide, had gotten an opening with the bat in Brisbane and he cashed in big time, putting on a significant stand with Smith.
He carried that confidence into his bowling and rattled India, removing the top order cheaply and eventually playing a key role in knocking them off for 224 and then the batsman, despite a scare, achieved the required target to go 2-0 up in the series.
The end no one knew about
After losing the opening two Tests, India came to Melbourne, hoping to get their tour back on track. After spending two days on the field, the batsman had an uphill task.
But if Adelaide had not convinced Dhoni fully about the future of Indian cricket, the third day’s play did. Kohli, along with Ajinkya Rahane, played like men on a mission and smashed the Australian bowling attack to all corners of the Melbourne Cricket Ground, much to the delight of the thousands, who had turned up on a hot Sunday.
At the end of the day, Kohli had played one of his best Test innings- making 169 of the most glorious runs that you could and India had reached a position of safety, for sure, if not a win.
By the end of Day 4, it had become further clear what the result was to be in this game as barring a miracle, only one team had a chance of winning.
The final day that was
India were set an improbable 384. Kohli went about in his usual aggressive way
but got out for 54. Dhoni walked out with India at 141 for 5 and played he usually did. Calmness written all over everything that he did. The backfoot defence, the front foot prod. All typically MS Dhoni- unorthodox, unconventional but effective as always.
At 174 for 6 with four overs left, Smith realised that his bowlers had toiled enough and went forward to shake hands with Dhoni, who gleefully accepted it.
In his final Test innings, Dhoni had ensured India didn’t lose. He remained unbeaten on 24 and had taken his home safely.
The post match activities followed and like a saint, Dhoni kept his cards close to his chest.
10 minutes after everything had concluded, the volcano erupted and the lava spread out. Dhoni had called it quits from Test Cricket.
Whether you were a Dhoni fan or not, it had taken one aback. More than the decision itself, it was the manner, which had shocked everybody in Indian Cricket.
But once you look back at his career in general, and you will realise that he was always like that. He didn’t like the limelight. He didn’t like people chanting his name and lifting him. He didn’t like to be the show. He just wanted to be a part of it.
Two years on, India a different unit
It’s only been two years since Dhoni gave up the whites to focus on his limited-overs career and every Indian fan would say under Kohli, India have looked a different unit.More vibrant. More assertive and importantly, a unit that is hungry.
Watching it from outside, Dhoni will be happy to see how many of the players who began under him, the likes of Kohli, R Ashwin etc flourish and revel in the longer format.
Just like he did in Tests, Dhoni may well quit the limited-overs format in the same manner and so let’s now enjoy what we have left of him before the final swansong arrives.