March 29, 2024

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Inside story: Why did MS Dhoni quit Test cricket

Inside story: Why did MS Dhoni quit Test cricket

MS Dhoni

The inside news on MS Dhoni’s reasons for quitting captaincy is out. Sources have revealed that because the Indian ODI captain wanted to prolong his ODI and T20 careers, he decided to hang up his boots in Test cricket.

According to sources close to the Indian captain, retirement from Test cricket is something he has been contemplating from the beginning of the Test series. Contrary to the popular belief, he didn’t make this move because his team wasn’t winning Test matches away from home. That notion has been fabricated, say these sources.

Insiders in the BCCI claim that after watching the Test team under Virat Kohli, Dhoni was convinced that this newly built team could take Indian cricket forward. With the Indian team playing non-stop ODI cricket, Dhoni also saw the opportunity to keep away from international cricket for more than a month if he quits the longest format of the game.

“India are playing six to seven Test matches every year, this retirement gives him time to prepare well for ODI cricket. He will be fresher when India play ODI matches,” the source told Drcricket7.

Then why did he quit before the Test series ended? “This was a good opportunity to allow the youngsters to settle down in the Test team and who said that he wasn’t there during the last Test match of the series? He told the BCCI, at the time of announcing his decision to quit test cricket, that he would also be the reserve wicketkeeper in the team in case there was an injury issue,” the source explained.

This was the time when Dhoni could have left the team and taken some more rest before the tri-series. But he preferred to stay on with the Test team. “Dhoni being Dhoni, he is just the perfect team-man. He was batting, bowling and training with team throughout,” the source said.

Furthermore, it is being said that even team director Ravi Shastri admitted, behind closed doors, that Dhoni’s decision to retire from Test cricket came from nowhere. Sources said that though Shastri himself was surprised with the development, and respected Dhoni’s decision and his timing in quitting Test cricket.

“He was full of praise for Dhoni. According to Shastri, Dhoni has shown the world how to leave a format even when you are in prime form,” another source revealed. “This shows what kind of leader Dhoni is. He gets tremendous respect from his teammates,” he added.

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