Memories have no Retirement…. #16YearsOfDhonism ❤

Dear Mahi,

2020 couldn’t get any worse than this, isn’t it? Hearing the news of your retirement just broke my heart. It’s quite amusing how someone you haven’t ever met can have such an important role in your life.

I still remember the good old days when I used to come back home from school, watch you play on television, and every time you used to hit a six, I would just jump in joy. Every time you were declared out, I used to cry.

When my mom used to ask me what I wanted to be when I grow up, I used to say that I wanted to be “MS Dhoni.”
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Your journey has inspired millions of people all around the world and it just fills my heart with joy that I could be a part of a generation who could watch you play live. It has been nothing but a pleasure throughout.

From being out at zero in your first international match to winning the world cup for India, you proved to the world that anything is possible if you are passionate enough about something and want it more than anything.

Your story and upbringing inspire me every day. Anytime I feel like giving up, I just imagine the crowd chanting “Dhoni” repeatedly inside the stadium, and I gather the courage to dream again.

Today is indeed a very sad day. But I believe you have given us enough memories to cherish for a lifetime, get motivated enough to follow our passion, and be someone like you.

What wouldn’t I do to see you again, hitting a helicopter shot and chanting your name along with thousands of fans inside the stadium, but all good things have to come to an end.

Trust me when I say I am not a man of goosebumps – not of many emotions either, and guess who I’ve tried and picked that up from? – but right now, as I am typing this, I am a ball of goosebumps, the hair at the back of my neck is all live, and as I break the news of your retirement to my grandfather – he’s your biggest fan, I kid you not – he looks at me in stunned silence, then we smile at each other, and he continues his walk.

Sums up the way you played, doesn’t it? A long-haired boy who walked into the field got run out for a first-ball duck, and a man bows out, with his last international inning ending with a run-out. Life actually comes a full circle, at least on the field.

MS, the world is going to talk about your service to Indian cricket – t20 world cup, number 1 in tests, the one-day world cup, the champions trophy – you’ve done it all man, but what I am going to talk about, is the man you’ve been, all on the field.

You know I have always believed that cricket is one of the toughest games to be played mentally – it’s boring, it’s long, and there’s just so much that goes between two balls being bowled – and to keep your calm, to hold your nerves, to back yourself time and again for that last ball finish, it takes tremendous self-belief and mental toughness to be able to do that for 16 long years, mate. You’ve been an incredible man behind the stumps, and today, I simply want to thank you for all the entertainment, all the memories, and for being a part of my childhood and life.

Tell you what? I always knew you were going to end your international Innings this way.
I knew I’d be going about my life, and the news of your walking out would break-in, because that’s who you are, right? The man who wins it for the team receives the trophy, and quietly walks away from the limelight.
To sum it up, I’ll borrow what Virat has said about you, time and again – he was my captain, he is my captain, and he’ll always remain my captain.

If unannounced farewell was a thing,
it would be this.
Yesterday you were there holding the gloves,
safeguarding the future of Indian Cricket.

Today, I stumble across a post announcing retirement
A post and a decision and a bye,
for which we weren’t ready yet.
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As a kid, I remember switching channels until you came to bat, making me stick to the screen till the last ball. Because that’s what you gave me, hope.
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Hope to win after losing 5 wickets for 70.
Hope to win against all odds.
Hope to win.
Hope to play.
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As an adult, cricket won’t be the same again. I would remember you as a captain who made unexpected decisions
at the most unexpected times,
even retirement.
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As a keeper who stumped the batsman faster than light. As a player who pulled infinite unachievable wins.
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As a father who celebrated victories with his daughter. As a citizen who always kept the nation before himself. As a human who took blames for the sins which he didn’t commit.
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I will remember this date as it marked the end of a whole generation.
end of the phrases.
“Dhoni sambhal lega”
“Mahi maar Raha hai”
end of the cricket for me.
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I still hope maybe it would be a lie,
perhaps this would just be a dream,
Knowing this would be the reality,
I don’t want to wake up.
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Cheers to the 183* against Sri Lanka.
Cheers to the world cup
Cheers to three different ICC trophies.
Cheers to sixes in the last over.
Cheers to Cricket.
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Will, it still be like that,
Will it be the same?
In every match on the ground,
Will it be possible for us to not see your name?

Captain cool will no longer be there with his bat,
Who will break every record?
Isn’t it heartbreaking?
Oh lord, oh lord.

Fourth Indian to reach 10,000 ODI runs,
And our favorite one who won every heart.
That craze of ‘dhoni’ fans,
That hoot in every part.

You’ve always given your life to bat and ball,
You’ve always made India proud.
This retirement news is throbbing in our hearts,
So much silence, yet so loud.

Pride of the country,
Love of the nation.
Hero, Ideal, Role model and what not,
What a creation, what a creation.

‘MSD’ is an emotion,
Happiness is seeing you play.
On the ground, off ground,
You are a gentleman, you slay.

This journey was so much amazing,
We all love you from the core.
So what if the lion is going to sit and watch now,
He never forgets to roar, he never forgets to roar.

You inspire me and the whole world with your journey. From collecting tickets to collecting trophies for India, the journey is no less than an inspirational movie. You know whenever you smile, million of fans smile just to see you happy.

In 2019, when you didn’t turn back after that run-out, trust me I stopped watching cricket. The media and haters started spreading the news that MS retired. No, this journey can’t end like this. I believed you will come back. I waited one long year. And you declared your retirement. MS, this was not fair. I may be a cricket fan but for me, you’re the one who made cricket great.

We can try 🔍ing, but there isn't going to be anyone like you @msdhoni.

— Google India (@GoogleIndia) August 16, 2020

Hearts are broken! Knowing that this thing might come to us, but this definitely wasn’t the right time Mahi. And listening to the song you uploaded just made us more emotional. Words aren’t enough to thank you for the wonders you did.

I am sure that before you came to the scene I saw no spark in cricket. Neither did I know 30 runs from 12 balls is possible. The cricket that I saw was, by length and breadth, magnified by your presence. Now that you will not be there, I am too, putting aside my curiosity magnifying glass to see the game up-close as I used to.

Going down as the most successful captain in history and the only one to win all the ICC trophies. Considered as the best finisher and with almost over 14000+ international runs.

Now, as you are done with the blues and left with some seasons in yellow, I just want to imbibe every moment you spend with us on the field.
As I write, standing on my desk with tears of complexity in my eyes. And with utter conviction just want to say,
“O captain! My captain! I am, forever, under the helm of Mahi!”
Knowing we might not get to see the brilliance of you behind the stumps whether it be field placement, DRS calls, or lightning-fast stumping, it’s a lot to be conveyed in words.

With a heavy heart, we wish you the very best. Thank you for the wonders. Those chants of Dhoni Dhoni won’t stop in our minds whenever team India would be in a difficult situation. We will miss you a lot Mahi❤️

From 1929 hrs consider MS Dhoni as retired?

"Definitely not!"#IPL2020 pic.twitter.com/MQdM7urx4f

— ICC (@ICC) November 1, 2020

Thank you for being a role model to me and millions of others all around the world.

yours,

A fellow MSDian

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