On July 10, 2019, MS Dhoni played his final game for India against New Zealand in the Manchester ICC World Cup semi-final.
India’s most successful captain in history is undoubtedly MS Dhoni. He’s the only Indian captain to have won all three of the ICC championships to date. 2011 ODI World Cup, 2013 Champions Trophy, and 2007 T20 World Cup were all won by India under his leadership. In the 2019 ICC World Cup semi-final in Manchester, the 42-year-old made his final appearance for India on July 10, 2019, against New Zealand. The former captain of India, Dhoni, disclosed that he had made the decision to hang up his boots after India lost to New Zealand in the semi-final, which was contested over two days at Old Trafford. Dhoni announced his official retirement August 15, 2023.
It becomes challenging to regulate your feelings after losing a close game. And I had done all of my planning inside. That, in my opinion, was my final day of cricket for India. Although I didn’t officially retire until a year later, that day marked my retirement. Cricket players receive certain equipment and other things. I returned it to the trainer each time I saw him. “No, you keep it,” he said. And I’m thinking, “How can I tell him that I won’t be using or needing it anymore?” At the moment, I didn’t want to make the announcement,” Dhoni recently stated at an event.
After 15 years of service to his country, Dhoni went on to say that he has been thinking about a lot of things.
You have a lot of feelings. You have played cricket for the past twelve to fifteen years. After then, you will no longer be able to represent the nation. Despite the large number of people, only few are given the chance. And athletes possess that as well. You are representing your nation when you participate in any sport. Olympics or Commonwealth Games. That was something I could never do once I gave up cricket. There was no more splendour for me to bring. “I’m thinking about all those things,” he continued.
Fans everywhere knew that Dhoni’s walk back to the dressing room, with his face lowered to the maximum, was his farewell dance.
Dhoni guided the Chennai Super Kings to their fifth Indian Premier League (IPL) championship earlier this year.
