Why MS Dhoni's retirement is a subject that is beyond rationality
The rational mind would probably tell you that MS Dhoni should retire. The rational mind would probably tell you that he is way past his prime.
But sport is beyond rationality. And there are some sportsmen who touch that part of the fans' heart that no other mortal has access to. Such sportspersons defy rationality.
While the rational mind would have told Dhoni to go with a lead spinner, he instead tossed the ball to the little-known Joginder Sharma. As it turned out, that ended up winning India the 2007 T20 World Cup.
While the rational mind would have signaled that Yuvraj Singh was in the form of his life in the 2011 World Cup and needed to be sent in early, the skipper defied convention and made his brisk walk to the middle at the fall of Virat Kohli’s wicket. The rest, as they say, is history.
And of course, while the rational mind would have told him that he was just 32 years old, Dhoni walked away from the Test arena with little fanfare. He was the captain of the side, he was undoubtedly the best wicketkeeper in the country and he had age on his side, and yet he decided to call it quits.
Dhoni has always lived life on a knife's edge, and has always defied convention.
Sport deals with powerful emotions. When Sachin Tendulkar announced his retirement from the sport in 2013, the crowd that had congregated at the Wankhede stadium wept along with the Little Master.
Tendulkar transcended the sport; he had become an emotion that the whole of India could connect to. What was the rationale behind weeping for a sportsman just because he was retiring?
The same is the case with Dhoni as well. Many people, inside and outside the geographical boundaries of the nation, have lived vicariously through Dhoni’s exploits on the field. The man has inspired a billion dreams and has touched the lives of people in a manner that few others have.
Dhoni has shone like a bright luminous sun, spreading happiness and hope to his countrymen for nearly a decade and a half.
That is why, while the mind says that Dhoni’s time is up, the heart craves for more. It craves for one last helicopter shot, one last stumping and one last victory lap around the ground in Indian colours.
All of this may defy rationality, but that has always been the case with MS Dhoni.
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