Feel Dhoni took a decision to retire in Test cricket to groom Wriddhiman Saha, expresses Ishant Sharma
Dhoni announced his retirement midway through the 2014 series against AUS
|Ishant Sharma opening up on MS Dhoniâs retirement in Australia opined that Dhoniâs decision might have stemmed from the possibility of grooming Wriddhiman Saha for the home tours. He also recalled an episode with Dhoni, when the former skipper was left hanging by Ishant in his last Test.
MS Dhoniâs retirement midway through the Australian series in 2014 came as real surprise for the fans, who still believed that the wicketkeeper was fit enough to play on for the country. However, the other side of things - that was the last leg of overseas tours for the country, with the next two years at home, which would have helped for the smooth transition of wicketkeepers.
Dhoniâs retirement allowed Wriddhiman Saha to settle in the Indian squad and become a mainstay over the next few years. While Dhoni has never opened the lid on his retirement to date, Ishant Sharma during a conversation with Ravichandran Ashwin on his YouTube channel, stated that the former Indian skipperâs decision might have come as a step to groom Wriddhiman Saha as India's permanent wicketkeeper.Â
"Although he was close to 100 Tests, he was always a team man. I remember he told me when we were in England that it is not important for him to play hundred Tests. Instead, he felt that we need to start grooming (Wriddhiman) Saha. Thatâs why he took the sudden decision to retire, I feel,â Ishant told Ashwin on his YouTube channel.Â
In Dhoniâs last Test, Indian pacer Ishant was down with pain, with him playing on injections due to severe knee pain. While he was unaware of the former Indian skipperâs retirement, during tea-time on day four, it was Dhoni himself, who had informed the lanky pacer about his retirement.Â
âWhen it was almost Tea on Day 4, and Australia were about to declare I told Mahi bhai that I cannot take injections any more. So, he told me, thatâs okay. You donât need to bowl now. Then something happened, and he told me, âlambu tune mujhe Test match mein chhod diyaâ (you have deserted me in a Test match). I did not understand. Then he elaborated, âyou left me midway in my last Test matchââ, Ishant added.
âI was stunned. I told him if I knew I would definitely have continued to play. So that was a really touching story. I didnât know till the last day that he was retiring,â he concluded.