Dhoni’s retirement from Test cricket has stunned Australia’s vice-captain, who has described the Indian as a ‘genuine gentleman’ of the game who has left his team in a much stronger position than when he took over.
“MS Dhoni’s temperament was one of his greatest strengths. You’d have no idea where the game was heading. He kept a consistent tempo no matter what was going on, which is why he’s lasted so long in the game,” Haddin remarked.
“I was shocked” (he retired). He’s been a fantastic servant for Indian cricket, in terms of how he conducts himself and the squad, and the composure he brings to a very, very important role as captain of the Indian cricket team. He was a true gentleman of the game and a pleasure to play against. I believe he has left Indian cricket in a better position than when he arrived.”
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As a result of Dhoni’s unexpected resignation, Virat Kohli has been named India’s captain for the fourth and final Test, which begins on January 6. Kohli has caused quite a stir in this series by waging verbal battles with the Australians both on and off the field.
Virat Kohli, who captained the team in the first Test against Australia in Adelaide when MS Dhoni was injured, has been selected captain for the fourth Test in Sydney.
Dhoni is India’s most successful wicket-keeper batsman of all time, having played 90 Tests and scoring 4876 runs for the country. As a wicketkeeper, he accounted for 294 dismissals, the most by an Indian and the fifth-highest in Test cricket history. Dhoni also had to captain the side for a significant portion of his Test career, 60 Tests to be exact. With 27 victories, he is India’s most successful Test captain. Under his leadership, India drew 15 games and lost 18 Tests.
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While he continued India’s legacy of being a domestic powerhouse, his captaincy record overseas has slipped in recent years. Only six of India’s 30 Tests played abroad under Dhoni were won, while 15 were lost. He did, however, lead India to series victories in both New Zealand and the West Indies. During Dhoni’s tenure, India also climbed to the top of the ICC Test rankings.
After Virat Kohli’s outstanding performance as captain in the Adelaide Test, there had been mounting pressure on Dhoni as a commander in international Tests. Dhoni had already stated that after the 2015 World Cup, he will be retiring from one of the forms. It’s possible that his decision to retire with immediate effect was influenced by the fact that the series had already been decided in Melbourne “inputs from indianexpress.com”.