“Your commitment towards the game was truly respectable,” Soniya Dabir Pens Tribute To MS Dhoni

On 15th August, when India celebrated its 74th Independence Day in the morning, the celebration came to a halt in the evening at 7 hours, 29 minutes when the legend bid goodbye to International Cricket. MS Dhoni, India’s most successful captain took to Instagram to make the announcement. What followed next was a plethora of emotional riot across social and digital channels. Fans poured their heart out, bidding tribute to this ‘larger than life’ character called MS Dhoni.

Former Indian women cricketer Soniya Dabir also couldn’t control her emotions and wrote this beautiful piece to pay tribute to India’s most loved cricketer of all time – MS Dhoni.

“It’s always said that a cricketer has to retire someday but the legends of the game never retire. On 15th Aug 2020 i.e Independence Day, with no press conference, no sendoffs, in a very typical MS Dhoni style, he declared his retirement.

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The most successful captain ever, the best finisher the world has ever seen said goodbye to international cricket. It had become normal to see India bouncing back and winning a crunch game thanks to MS Dhoni. He made the entire nation believe that it’s possible to win a match from any situation by staying as cool as ice.

The inspiration he gave to many young, budding, and current players, who just by watching his games, learn how to handle difficult circumstances and even the skill of reading the game. He had his own way of improvising and he made sure succeeded with his moves. He taught us how to trust and back your player which he might have learned from one of the best captains of India i.e. Sourav Ganguly.

Dhoni was the captain who helped, the god of cricket, Sachin Tendulkar achieve his dream of winning the World Cup. The Ranchi boy made sure the legacy of Indian cricket remains at the topmost level and kept achieving great heights after Sourav Ganguly. He helped the people of India and his teammates remain calm when India defended 1 run in the last two balls of a knockout.

The amazing and perfect reading of the game and the way he trusted his instincts were just unbelievable. He got wickets for the bowlers by just adjusting the fielders and helped them with a better idea of where to pitch and turn a particular ball. One of the best players to use the DRS, it is said that even a batsman knew he was out when dhoni used the DRS with his appeal. He was the captain who had the best control over his emotions no matter you win or lose a match.

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Most of the time, he has witnessed records from the non-striker’s end. Sachin Tendulkar scoring 200 not out, Yuvraj Singh hitting those 6 sixes to name a few. The possibility of winning the match which was instilled in fans got highest when he played. Right from choosing his Indian team to choosing his CSK IPL team, all his career he relied on his instincts. The vision he had for the 2011 world cup, the tough calls he took as a captain warranted guts and only a person with that sort of self-belief would have done this.

The commitment towards the game was truly respectable and everyone remembers the time when he said “ I’m on National duty and everything else can wait” after his daughter, Ziva, was born. Finally, as it will be remembered “Dhoni finishes off in style”, the six which people would die to watch for, won’t be seen again ever… surely an End of an Era."

- Soniya Dabir (Former Indian Cricketer)

Image Credit: AFP/Female Cricket

This article was published first on Female Cricket. The views expressed are the author's own.