Dhoni engages in friendly banter on retirement with journalist
In a surprising move, Indian skipper M S Dhoni invited a journalist to sit alongside him when he asked about the retirement plans of the wicketkeeper-batsman after India were knocked out of the World T20 in the semis. What followed were some fun-filled moments which left the media stunned.
India had lost to West Indies by seven wickets in the semi-final clash on Thursday night at the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai. A disappointed Dhoni reached the post-match press conference expecting to face some tough questions, but a query from one of the journalists produced the biggest moment after the match.
A foreign journalist waited for his chance and then asked the Indian skipper about his retirement plans.
"You have achieved virtually everything that a cricketer could. Are you keen to continue playing on?
Instead of giving an angry reply to the question, he has been asked time after time, Dhoni waved the journalist forward and invited him to sit next to him at the post-match press conference.
"Come here. Let's have some fun. Come here. Come, come, come. Seriously. Yeah, come," Dhoni said pulling a chair towards him.
ICC WT20 2016Captain MS Dhoni turns the tables - gets a journalist to answer his query on retirement plans.
Posted by Indian Cricket Team on Thursday, 31 March 2016
As everyone in the media room looked baffled by Captain Cool’s move, the journalist walked up and sat next to the skipper. Then, Dhoni put an arm around his shoulder and asked, “You want me to retire?". The journalist said: "No, I don't. I was just asking."
Dhoni carried on by saying, "I was hoping it was an Indian media guy because I can't really say if you have a brother or a son who can play for India as a keeper," he said.
The Indian skipper then asked the journalist: "Do you think I am unfit?", the journalist replied, “no.” “Look at me running,” Dhoni continued and the journalist completed the sentence by saying “very fast.”
“Do you think I can survive till the 2019 World Cup?" Dhoni asked next and the journalist said, "sure, yes, sure."
"Then you have answered the question," Dhoni told the journalist and gave him a pat on his back to signal the end of the chat.
As the room filled with laughter, the Indian skipper continued: "I wish it was an Indian media person. Then I would have asked if he has a son who is a wicketkeeper and ready to play. He would have said no, and then I would have said maybe a brother who is a wicketkeeper and who is ready to play. You fired the right ammunition at the wrong time," Dhoni said to invoke more laughter.