Stuart Binny recalls MS Dhoni's motivational words before Test debut in 2014, calls it 'best moment from Indian cricket'

Stuart Binny announced his retirement from all forms of the game on Monday (August 30). Though his career for was a start-stop affair, with not many chances coming his way, Binny had some memorable moments for Team India and Rajasthan Royals (RR), in particular, in Indian Premier League (IPL).

Binny represented India in six Tests, 14 ODIs and three T20Is. He made his Test debut during India's tour of England in 2014, under MS Dhoni. Recalling the moment when he received his Test cap from the former skipper, Binny was quoted as saying by Asianet Newsable, "I think my best moment from Indian cricket is when I received my Test cap from MS Dhoni at Nottingham. That’s the moment which I would cherish the most."

He further revealed how Dhoni motivated him with his words and said, "He [MS Dhoni] told me that I had deserved this opportunity and that I had performed consistently well in the Ranji Trophy for three-four seasons. And obviously, if you can do it in the Ranji Trophy, it is just a matter of believing that I could do well in Test cricket as well. He also assured me that I had the full support of the Indian team, and he wanted me to go out and express myself."

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At 37, Binny also shared why he thought of calling it quits from the gentlemen's game. He stated,"I think I have reached a stage where cricket has become difficult for me because of the pandemic. First and foremost, there was not enough cricket played in the last two years. And, to be a professional cricketer, you need to be playing cricket continuously and also practice regularly. Also, it is difficult to carry on as a cricketer if you are only practising and not getting game time. Thus, I felt that my best years had passed as a professional, and I also did not want to continue just because I loved playing it. I depended heavily on my performances as well, and I felt that it was the right time to make that decision."

Binny is mostly known for his 6 for 4 in a low-scoring ODI versus Bangladesh in 2014 and his match-saving 78 on Test debut in Nottingham. In IPL, he represented teams such as RR, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Mumbai Indians (MI).

Binny will now foray into the world of coaching, being a certified NCA Level-2 coach.