Ex-India coach reveals never-before-heard detail about MS Dhoni's retirement plans in 2019

Former India fielding coach R Sridhar has revealed how Mahendra Singh Dhoni hinted at retiring from international cricket in a conversation with Rishabh Pant during 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup in England. Sridhar revealed in his book that Pant h asked Dhoni if he would like to leave for London privately after semifinal against New Zealand, to which former India captain said he didn't want to miss his last bus ride with team. conversation happened at breakfast table on morning of reserve day in Manchester.

"I can w reveal that at time of interview to BCCI, which I attended from Antigua, I was reasonably certain that for all practical purposes, MS h played his last match for country. He hn't anunced it, of course, but I will tell you why I knew. On morning of reserve day in our World Cup semifinal against New Zealand in Manchester, I was first person at breakfast hall. I was nursing my coffee when MS and Rishabh walked in, picked up ir stuff and joined me at my table,” Sridhar wrote in his book, ‘Coaching Beyond- My days with Indian cricket team’

“New Zealand h only a couple of overs to bat out and we'd start our innings reafter, so match would end reasonably early. Rishabh told MS in Hindi, 'Bhaiyya, some of guys are planning to leave for London today itself privately. Would you be interested?' MS replied, ', Rishabh, I don't want to miss my last bus drive with team.'” Sridhar ded.

"I didn't say a word to anyone about this conversation out of sheer respect for man. He h taken me into confidence. I couldn't shoot my mouth off. So, I didn't utter a word t to Ravi, t to Arun, t even to my wife," said Sridhar.

Dhoni took retirement from international cricket after playing semifinal against New Zealand at 2019 Cricket World Cup. Dhoni anunced his retirement a year later on August 15, 2020.  

Dhoni's stats for India

Dhoni's statistics are thing short of amazing, particularly in limited-over games. stats include 350 One-Day Internationals (ODIs) he played for India, in which he scored 10,773 runs at an astounding aver of 50.58 and a strike rate of 87.56. In his ODI career, Dhoni h 73 fifties and 10 centuries. On or hand, 2011 World Cup-winning captain played 98 T20 Internationals for India, scoring 1,617 runs at an aver of 37.6 and a strike rate of 126.13.

Dhoni's or statistics include 90 Test appearances in which he scored 4,876 runs at an aver of 38.09. In a ten-year Test career, 39-year-old achieved 33 fifties, six hundreds, and one double-hundred.

Im: ANI/BCCI