Dhoni makes silent exit from international cricket

Not unlike when he took everyone by surprise by announcing his retirement from Tests on the evening of December 30 in 2014 in Melbourne via a one-line BCCI press release, Mahendra Singh Dhoni brought the curtain down on his international career on India's 74th Independence Day through a cryptic social media post.

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"Thanks a lot for ur love and support throughout.from 1929 hrs consider me as Retired," Dhoni wrote on his Insta account, which was liked by his wife Sakshi, among others, on Saturday. That's how his legion of fans across the world came to know of his retirement, before the BCCI sent out a press note confirming the same.

While there was an element of surprise to his Test retirement, the latest announcement had a certain inevitability to it. His long sabbatical post India's semifinal exit from the World Cup last year, the BCCI dropping him from the list of centrally contracted players, the postponement of the IPL and then the T20 World Cup which was speculated to be his swansong, were all indicators that Dhoni may have played his last game for India.

That said, there will be a feeling of emptiness and a sense of vacuum unlikely to ever be filled. With Dhoni's exit comes to an end one of the most decorated careers in India's sporting history. Dhoni blazed a trail that will not be matched in the near future. As a player, he will remembered as one of the finest limited-overs batsmen; as a stumper, he will be hailed as the most unorthodox but the most effective too, and as captain, he will go down as one of the most successful.

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Since leading an inexperienced bunch to the inaugural World T20 title in South Africa in 2007, Dhoni enjoyed success after success. The 2011 50-over World Cup at home, the 2013 Champions Trophy triumph in England and reaching the No 1 ranking in Tests in 2009 catapulted him to the status of the most successful captain in the world. No other captain can claim to have overseen similar triumphs. Especially for someone hailing from Jharkhand, India's cricketing outpost until the Dhoni revolution, that is as remarkable an achievement as inspiring it is.

Speaking purely numerically, Dhoni led India in 199 ODIs, winning 110, losing 74, tying 5 and with 11 ending in a no result. He was also at the helm in 72 T20Is of which 42 resulted in wins and 28 in losses. He captained India in 60 Tests, with a win-loss record of 27-18. It goes without saying, of course, that Dhoni's contributions go beyond just mere statistics.

Besides shepherding India to success in all ICC events, he also built an army of youngsters who are the core of the current team. Be it Rohit Sharma or Virat Kohli or Ravindra Jadeja or R Ashwin, they all found their feet under his stewardship and have been integral to India’s progress over the last decade. Even after relinquishing the captaincy, Dhoni remained a valued mentor and guide to many. A senior statesman in the dressing room and a shrewd strategist on the field, he is someone Kohli the captain couldn't do without.

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It wasn't a career without blemish, though. The banning of his IPL team Chennai Super Kings following the spot-fixing scandal of 2013 sullied his name, even if only briefly. The man who phased out senior players when in charge didn't do his own image any good by prolonging his career even with the returns diminishing. But his achievements and contributions, over 16 years, far outweigh his shortcomings.

And, while he is done with his India blue jersey, he will continue to entertain his fans in the yellow of CSK. For a little while, at least.