Au Revoir Captain

A legend and a gem retired from international cricket two days back. We were expecting fireworks. A last match. Celebrating him and his contributions. But he bid farewell the same way he debuted, without any fanfare or buzz.  In the last two days, I've read countless articles and seen many fan edits on what he stood for, why he will be missed etc. So what could I possibly write about? What could I add? That's when I realised that all these articles were all written in past tense. They were thanking him as if it's all over. As if they would never ever feel the presence of his legacy ever again. I say that's rubbish. Mahendra Singh Dhoni wasn't on national duty for 16 long years for it all to end with a thank you. He has left a huge mark and it will resonate as long as Indians play cricket. His time with the Indian team might have come to an end but he will always have a place in the heart of his fans. When your head is full of glorious memories of him on the field, on the crease and behind the stumps, nobody can snatch it away and Mahi will never stop playing. If you're a true fan, you'll respect his decision to retire. It's his game. He knows it best. Getting out of the game before the game gets out of him. I'm not saying that you should be happy about it. He's definitely India's most successful white ball captain. He's the best finisher. We're not gonna find anyone like him behind the stumps ever again but part of the journey is the end. It was the journey of a soldier and he has come home with triumphs. It's been an amazing 16 years and that's no mean feat.  But is it really the end? Going forward, whether he becomes coach or not (really hoping this happens) or whether his former teammates follow his ideals, there is someone who can. You. Me. Us. So much to learn from a man who personified calm, cool and collected. Holding out to even the smallest sliver of hope. Battling it out till the end. Giving credit where it's due. Cherishing others' success while crossing several milestones yourself. Dedication to your craft. Being the best version of yourself. How to innovate. How to strategise. How to make the best use of resources available to you. And above all, how to be humble no matter what heights you scale in life. So thank you MS for everything you stood for and everything you'll continue to stand for.