'Dhoni finishes off in style'

 What is the first memory that comes to your mind when you think about MS? For me, it is always the World Cup-winning six at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in the night of the Sunday final. MS is a self-made and selfless cricketer. He never begged for chances. He knew about his strengths and limits. He is a calm and proactive leader. He was able to bring out the best aspects of several cricketers. Virat, Rohit, Raina, Ashwin and Jadeja had the luxury of playing under a wonderful skipper with an amazing cricket brain. 

Dhoni's logical moves have its own fan base. We have all seen what happened in the 2011 WC final as he chose to bat ahead of an in-form Yuvraj despite not being in great touch throughout the tournament. His calculation was that right hand-left hand combination can unsettle the Lankans in middle overs. Dhoni's ability to play spin nicely and Yuvraj's vulnerability to off-spin (remember Murali was playing his last ODI) was another reason why he promoted himself up the order. Dhoni played out the initial overs. He took time to dig in and his strike-rate was low. His first boundary came in the 40th ball when he played a  firm cut which passed fastly over deep cover. It was the first time Dhoni did not give respect to Murali's farewell spell. Murali looked at MS and had a wry smile on his face. But Dhoni did not look back. He was probably lost and his focus was only to bat till the very end and guide his side home.

He walked a few steps outside his batting crease and smiled at Gambhir (a hero of his own). The duo set up a match-winning stand but Gauti missed out on a golden opportunity to be there till the very end. It remains a forgettable memory in his career. Dhoni was more purposeful at the other end. He did not go for too many lofted shots. He ran hard and once he got his eye in, he just took the game in his own hands. As present Indian coach Shastri puts it, MS finished off the game in style. The historic innings certainly have the essence of MS. He always looks to be that person who responsibly guides his team home. 

Dhoni the finisher follows a calm and calculative approach. His concern is not the required run-rate but the match situation. MS plans the game on his mind and makes the moves, sometimes unpredictable ones such that the opposition may not be finding it coming. Mahi as they fondly call was more successful in shorter formats as a leader. It was probably because of the time factor. One can't point fingers at his captaincy other than the low phase when the team lost Test matches overseas in a continuous manner. 

Dhoni was the man who rolled out the team's transition process in Tests and ODIs. He encouraged the idea of testing youngsters to challenges with early exposure. It worked well many times. The team management did not have to worry much because he was always there to guide a demotivated player. 

Teammates love him for his honesty and integrity. He was never bowled over by publicity. He kept simplicity to be his style and calmness to be his character. He could have left the game with all the glittering. But he chose to walk away when he felt the time was right. He knew it was time In 2014 when he found an able leader in Virat (Tests) and 2020 when T20 World Cup was postponed for one year. 

Dhoni tried hard to take the game deep in his last international appearance but Martin Guptill's bullet throw dashed the hopes of a fairytale farewell. However, Dhoni can leave the field as a happy man with no sense of regrets. Cricket is a team sport. Perhaps, Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar will be indebted to MS more than anyone. Dhoni's 2011 heroics helped the legend kiss the cup after five attempts. When the cup was won, MS gracefully walked away from the limelight and shared all the glory with the team. Taskmasters have this common trait of selflessness. Dhoni was a classic example of knowing when to step in and when to step back.

MS chose to goodbye from international cricket on Independence Day. All the retirement rumours and speculations have to bite the dust now. There was no drama or excitement. He posted a simple Instagram message and an era was finished in a matter of seconds. MSD the man retires. MSD the emotion is most likely to stay.