Retirement approaching, awaiting final MS words

July 11, 2013. Port of Spain. Sri Lanka. A tri-series final, 201 to chase and with an in-form batting order, not much of a bother.
Former Indian skipper MS Dhoni (File | PTI)
Former Indian skipper MS Dhoni (File | PTI)

CHENNAI: July 11, 2013. Port of Spain. Sri Lanka. A tri-series final, 201 to chase and with an in-form batting order, not much of a bother. But poor shot selection and the left-arm guile of Rangana Herath orchestrated a magnificent collapse. Only MS Dhoni seemed interested in a chase. And he did so in the usual fashion: allow pressure to build, back that calmness inside and then launch a calculated attack, one that has been visualised a million times in his mind.  

July 2, 2017. Antigua. West Indies. An inconsequential series against a side comprising names that even some of the Indian players might not be aware of. A total of 190 to chase, which is made to look more than it is by India’s batting line-up. Dhoni tries to rescue, but fails. This time, though, he labours to a 114-ball 54 and finds comparisons to Sunil Gavaskar’s 36 not out off 174 balls in 1975 World Cup.
Really? It would be unfair to compare this innings of Dhoni to Gavaskar’s, as the former’s preferences while chasing are widely known. He prefers to get the job done, irrespective of whether it happens in the 40th over or the 50th. But Antigua was not just about strike-rate. Where did his skill of staying calm and then unleashing the big shots vanish?

The first signs of waning came two years ago, against South Africa at home. After failing to finish off two matches, Dhoni promoted himself to No 4 against New Zealand and later to No 5, to allow someone else to do the finisher’s job. That didn’t work either.

As each series goes by and every time he fails to take the team home, questions such as “why is he still playing?” will pop up. That too with a talent like Rishabh Pant waiting in the wings. “We like to see change because something has been a constant for few years,”  former India coach and selector Anshuman Gaekwad said. “No doubt he hasn’t performed, but it is not an easy place to be in, particularly when Pant is around. I don’t think this has anything to do with emotion. You need to be realistic about the present and the future, and selectors should always be prepared to take tough decisions. Though he has not been able to finish matches, he still has the game.”

But taking that decision won’t be any easy for a player like Dhoni, who endorses around 15 products. Most of his contracts still have a year left, and they have been on the decline ever since he stepped down as captain. This factor does affect decisions like retirement, considering that Dhoni is a top brand. But Gaekwad doesn’t see him overstaying. “We saw it with his Test retirement. He is selfless, and it won’t be different. He is definitely not on the team only because of his past.”

venkatakrishna@newindianexpress.com

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