There are a lot of unanswered
questions floating around
with regards to MS Dhoni’s
exit from Test cricket. Many
feel it was the right decision,
a few see some conspiracy
behind the sudden move, and
a few others are yet to make
up their minds in the absence
of some credible information
on the issue. Ravi Shastri, the
team director, while junking
the conspiracy angle, says it
was a well thought-out decision
as Dhoni felt he would be
doing an injustice to the team
by playing on. Excerpts
Can you talk about the
moment when Dhoni
announced his retirement to
the team? How did the team
react to it?
He took everyone by surprise.
When he returned to
the dressing room after his
post-match commitments, he
said his time in Test cricket
was up. It was shocking to us
all. But the way he said it, it
was obvious that it was a well
thought-out decision. He
knew what to say, he was honest
about it. Dhoni is an alltime
Indian legend, a cricket
great. And this team sees him
like one. He hasn’t chased
statistics or numbers or fanfare
farewell. He was honest
with himself and they respect
him for it. This is a young
team and an example has
been set in front of them.
You have seen Dhoni from
the commentary box. You
have seen him as team
director. How do you rate
him as a Test captain?
It has been a hard job for
him. Overseas, it’s all about
taking those 20 wickets.
Recently they have been
coming close but were
unable to win. Knowing
Dhoni, he would have loved
to win those matches but
unfortunately he felt his time
in Test cricket was up. He felt
he wouldn’t be doing justice
to the team if he kept playing.
He saw the team had
Virat Kohli ready to lead and
Wriddhiman Saha to take
over behind the stumps. He
saw the future was in safe
hands. Dhoni gave his everything
to Indian cricket, irrespective
of the format. I am
sure he will keep playing limited-overs
formats for a couple
years more like a king.
In December 2012, in Nagpur,
after losing the Test series (2-
1) to England at home, Dhoni
had hinted about retiring from
one format in late 2013. But
he has waited a whole year to
do so. What do you think is
the reason behind that?
I believe it is a well thoughtout
move. A lot of hard work
has gone into building this
team over the last one year.
He felt it was time to hand
over the charge to a young
leader. He has ensured that
there wouldn’t be any speculation
over who will be the
captain after he is gone.
Dhoni isn’t leaving without a
reason, it’s not ill-timed
either. It’s a long process and
Dhoni has been selfless about
it. In the past there have been
players who played for stats
or fanfare farewells. But there
are a few who don’t need that.
Dhoni is that sort of cricketer.
There are people speculating
about his motives, saying he
has abandoned a sinking
ship. That’s nonsense.
Virat Kohli is the next captain.
Do you think he needs to curb
his aggression a little bit?
What’s wrong with having
an aggressive attitude? If he
was just talking and hadn’t
scored in three Tests, I would
have had a word with him.
But he is just one run short
of 500 in this series. Obviously,
he is doing something
right, it is working wonders
for him and the team. He is
an aggressive cricketer, it
brings out the best in him.
Even Sir Vivian Richards
has praised his attitude. The
whole of Australia is admiring
him for the way he is
playing, for a long time they
haven’t seen anyone who
plays such brand of cricket
against them in their own
country. Virat is a young
man, a young captain now…
he will mature into an even
better cricketer
questions floating around
with regards to MS Dhoni’s
exit from Test cricket. Many
feel it was the right decision,
a few see some conspiracy
behind the sudden move, and
a few others are yet to make
up their minds in the absence
of some credible information
on the issue. Ravi Shastri, the
team director, while junking
the conspiracy angle, says it
was a well thought-out decision
as Dhoni felt he would be
doing an injustice to the team
by playing on. Excerpts
Can you talk about the
moment when Dhoni
announced his retirement to
the team? How did the team
react to it?
He took everyone by surprise.
When he returned to
the dressing room after his
post-match commitments, he
said his time in Test cricket
was up. It was shocking to us
all. But the way he said it, it
was obvious that it was a well
thought-out decision. He
knew what to say, he was honest
about it. Dhoni is an alltime
Indian legend, a cricket
great. And this team sees him
like one. He hasn’t chased
statistics or numbers or fanfare
farewell. He was honest
with himself and they respect
him for it. This is a young
team and an example has
been set in front of them.
You have seen Dhoni from
the commentary box. You
have seen him as team
director. How do you rate
him as a Test captain?
It has been a hard job for
him. Overseas, it’s all about
taking those 20 wickets.
Recently they have been
coming close but were
unable to win. Knowing
Dhoni, he would have loved
to win those matches but
unfortunately he felt his time
in Test cricket was up. He felt
he wouldn’t be doing justice
to the team if he kept playing.
He saw the team had
Virat Kohli ready to lead and
Wriddhiman Saha to take
over behind the stumps. He
saw the future was in safe
hands. Dhoni gave his everything
to Indian cricket, irrespective
of the format. I am
sure he will keep playing limited-overs
formats for a couple
years more like a king.
In December 2012, in Nagpur,
after losing the Test series (2-
1) to England at home, Dhoni
had hinted about retiring from
one format in late 2013. But
he has waited a whole year to
do so. What do you think is
the reason behind that?
I believe it is a well thoughtout
move. A lot of hard work
has gone into building this
team over the last one year.
He felt it was time to hand
over the charge to a young
leader. He has ensured that
there wouldn’t be any speculation
over who will be the
captain after he is gone.
Dhoni isn’t leaving without a
reason, it’s not ill-timed
either. It’s a long process and
Dhoni has been selfless about
it. In the past there have been
players who played for stats
or fanfare farewells. But there
are a few who don’t need that.
Dhoni is that sort of cricketer.
There are people speculating
about his motives, saying he
has abandoned a sinking
ship. That’s nonsense.
Virat Kohli is the next captain.
Do you think he needs to curb
his aggression a little bit?
What’s wrong with having
an aggressive attitude? If he
was just talking and hadn’t
scored in three Tests, I would
have had a word with him.
But he is just one run short
of 500 in this series. Obviously,
he is doing something
right, it is working wonders
for him and the team. He is
an aggressive cricketer, it
brings out the best in him.
Even Sir Vivian Richards
has praised his attitude. The
whole of Australia is admiring
him for the way he is
playing, for a long time they
haven’t seen anyone who
plays such brand of cricket
against them in their own
country. Virat is a young
man, a young captain now…
he will mature into an even
better cricketer
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