M S Dhoni-- An instinctive Cricketer - Sad to see him retire from Tests

A Boxing Day Test match is always a big deal … So with holidays , it was the best time to just follow the test match  on Television between Australia and India just like any other Indian Cricket fan. 

The match was intense and India matched the Aussies in some sessions and played poorly  in others. Overall Aussies could have pressed for a win on the final day. They did not which surprised many including me . It was not the typical” Go get them “ attitude  that you expect from the Aussies. A delayed declaration meant India could save the test.  But India is known to give twists and they did till MSD and Ashwin played out towards a draw . Aussies did an another  shocker surprise . Like a game of Chess they offered a draw with four overs to go and with every chance for them to WIN.  If one thought that this was a big discussion item, the biggest surprise was the one that came through the BCCI news . MSD was retiring from International test cricket with immediate effect . That was a shocker. But the retirement  was  very Dhoni like.

Quiet , no frills , no farewells  and an quiet exit . To me the timing was brilliant and perfect.   A drawn test may look  like  not a great result . But if we go back history , the last Drawn test at Melbourne was some 17 years ago and so it was creditable for the Indian team to draw the test. And the series gone , nothing can be change in the next test at Sydney on the fate of the series .. So to me right time to exit and well done MSD.

Some things that made me sit up  on Dhoni

1.      

First time when he came in to the team , with long hair and a muscular  looking lad  from Jharkhand , I thought here comes  one of those  flash in the   pan types. I was proven wrong very quickly. Brilliant counter hitting , can play the hook and pull and was a  man with cool  temperament . He was an instant hit and his keeping was a big plus . So , we found our own equivalent for Gilchrist.

2.       

22007 T 20 changed the fate of the Indian team . With a team that had youngsters and a certain Joginder Sharma , Dhoni led the team brilliantly. He could do no wrong.  Captaincy did not affect his batting nor his keeping. India won the title and there was no looking back for Dhoni. Soon , he was the Captain for all forms of the game

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       He led the team as he quietly saw the exit of Seniors . this was  so sensitive with players like Sachin . Sourav , Dravid and VVS .. all  handled amicably> later it followed for Sehwag and Gambhir .. Performance was key and your seniority did not count.

4.   

    He did not speak much but was always to the point . Walk the talk was his Bumper sticker

5.       Captain Cool came to the fore in the nerve wracking IPL games . He was a finisher and all teams feared him and his last over assaults brought many a weak heart great tension. But Mr. Cool would never fail.

6.       The Test team climbed to great heights – getting to the No 1 ranking was no easy task and Dhoni was a key to the Indian team being up there

7.       The World Cup 2011 triumph was unforgettable. Promoting himself ahead of Yuvi who was in terrific form in the final was a master stroke. It was to  ensure that there a left – right Combo at the crease ( Gambhir was the other player on strike ). That turned the game in India’s favour decisively. How can one forget the six of Kulasekra that sealed the Cup ? Magnificent is the right word.

8.       One of the best innings that I liked was the one that he played at Chennai against the Aussies. Brilliant counter hitting by him and Kohli took the sails out of the Aussies. I cherished this as I was at Chepauk to watch this innings. Some of the shots that he played were arrogant and audacious in that innings

9.       How can I not mention the “ helicopter shot” . he made it his weapon to attack the Yorkers in the short form of the game. Muscular hitting was the right word. His sixes just did not clear the fence . they cleared the terraces of the stadiums

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 His away record  as Test captain was poor. I still do not understand why he became a defensive  captain while playing tests overseas. But which captain did well overseas ?

I will miss Dhoni for his Charisma on the field . He brought so much to the game by  the way he played the game. Great leadership , team building  and glory to Indian Cricket and to the game.

The big hope is the World Cup coming up in the first Quarter of 2015.  Hopefully he can take the rest needed and is charged up to defend the title that India won in 2011.