(Image Source: Getty)
[Saba Sports News] On December 30, 2014, MS Dhoni, the then Indian cricket team captain, unexpectedly retired from Test cricket during India’s tour of Australia. Commemorating the ninth anniversary of this event, the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), an IPL franchise, shared a nostalgic photo on social media.
The photo features Dhoni with teammate Suresh Raina, capturing an emotional moment from the day of his Test retirement, where Dhoni appears teary-eyed. CSK captioned the post as “The selfie that tells the story.”
In his final Test match, Dhoni scored an unbeaten 24 runs in the second innings, concluding the match in a draw. India, chasing a target of 384 runs, ended the game at 174 for six in 66 overs.Dhoni’s emotional moments weren’t limited to his Test retirement. He also experienced a poignant moment following India’s exit from the ODI World Cup in 2019.
According to Sanjay Bangar, the batting coach, Dhoni was visibly upset after India’s defeat to New Zealand in the semi-finals. Bangar described the atmosphere as heartbreaking, with players, including Dhoni, Hardik Pandya, and Rishabh Pant, visibly emotional. He noted that such moments of vulnerability typically stay within the confines of the dressing room.
“It was a heartbreaking moment for all the players as India were playing excellent cricket. We won seven matches in the league phase and to bow out like that was not good,” Bangar shared. “Players cried like kids. MS Dhoni was crying like children. Hardik Pandya and Rishabh Pant had tears in their eyes. Such stories remain in the dressing room,” he added.