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'No, Rishabh, I don't want to...': R Sridhar narrates unheard story about MS Dhoni's retirement

'No, Rishabh, I don't want to...': R Sridhar narrates unheard story about MS Dhoni's retirement

R Sridhar narrates unheard story about MS Dhoni's retirement

MS Dhoni achieved almost everything in his glittering cricketing career. Having debuted in late 2004, he became a household name very soon and led India from 2007 to 2016. Under him, India won all major ICC titles and even attained the No. 1 spot in Tests. He himself made the right noise, ending with 17,266 runs, 108 half-centuries, 16 tons, 634 catches, 359 sixes and 195 stumpings.

During the 2019 ICC ODI World Cup, in England and Wales, many believed that it was Dhoni's last international event. After Virat Kohli-led India's semi-final exit, the keeper-batter surprised one and all by not announcing his retirement and took a sabbatical for the rest of the year. In early 2020, Covid-19 pandemic struck the world and when IPL was set to kickoff in September-October, in the UAE, Dhoni stepped aside from international cricket on August 15.

R Sridhar, India's former fielding coach, revealed an unheard story about Dhoni's retirement. He revealed that the legendary cricketer had dropped a massive retirement hint while in conversation with Rishabh Pant ahead of the reserve day's play between India and New Zealand in the first semi-final of CWC'19.

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

Sridhar further added, "New Zealand had only a couple of overs to bat out and we'd start our innings thereafter, so the match would end reasonably early. Rishabh told MS in Hindi, 'Bhaiyya, some of the guys are planning to leave for London today itself privately. Would you be interested?' MS replied, 'No, Rishabh, I don't want to miss my last bus drive with the team.'"

The former fielding coach revealed that he never narrated the incident to anyone due to the 'sheer respect' for Dhoni."I didn't say a word to anyone about this conversation out of sheer respect for the man. He had taken me into confidence. I couldn't shoot my mouth off. So, I didn't utter a word not to Ravi, not to Arun, not even to my wife," concludedSridhar.

Dhoni will next be seen in action during IPL 2023 where he will lead the Chennai Super Kings (CSK).

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