Speaking at an event in Bengaluru, Dhoni disclosed that he had resolved to retire after India’s heartbreaking defeat to New Zealand in the 2019 World Cup semifinal, though he officially announced his retirement on August 15, 2020.
Dhoni’s silence and absence from the cricketing arena in the 13 months following India’s exit from the 2019 World Cup had left fans and the cricketing world speculating about his future.
Revealing the moment of decision, Dhoni said, “It gets difficult to control your emotions when you have lost a close game. And inside, I had made my entire plan. To me, that was the last day I played cricket for India. I took retirement a year later, but the fact is that, that day I had retired.”
The former captain continued by sharing the inner turmoil he experienced during that period, mentioning how he had decided to retire but didn’t want to announce it at that time. He spoke about returning equipment provided to cricketers and the challenge of conveying to the trainer that he would no longer need it.
Dhoni also highlighted the profound emotional impact of retiring from international cricket, saying, “You are high on emotions. The only thing you’ve done in the last 12-15 years is play cricket. And then there is no more chance of you representing the country. There are so many people but only a few get that opportunity. Sportspersons have that. Irrespective of which sport you play, you are representing your country.”
Despite retiring from international cricket, Dhoni has remained an active player for the IPL franchise Chennai Super Kings, leading the team to its fifth title in 2023. However, his participation in the tournament was marred by a knee injury, limiting him to cameo appearances with the bat. Dhoni assured his fans of his return in the IPL in 2024, and subsequently underwent knee surgery following CSK‘s victory.
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(With inputs from IANS)