‘Just like that, he moved on’: CSK bowling coach Balaji reveals what MS Dhoni did immediately after announcing retirement

MS Dhoni retirement: L Balaji, bowling coach of CSK, revealed what Dhoni did immediately after announcing his retirement to the world through a video montage on Instagram.

For long MS Dhoni’s retirement was on the cards and after going over a year without playing any form of cricket, the former India captain announced his retirement from international cricket last Saturday. The date was August 15, the day Chennai Super Kings reached Chepauk for their training before leaving for the UAE.

File image of MS Dhoni. (AFP)

L Balaji, bowling coach of CSK, revealed what Dhoni did immediately after announcing his retirement to the world through a video montage on Instagram. Balaji, who’s been with CSK from the very beginning in 2008 – first as a player and later as its coach, said how he helped the players with their practice and went inside, with absolutely no idea about Dhoni’s big announcement.

“After practice gets over, I normally talk a lot to Dhoni about the wicket, about practicing and playing conditions. So that day, I finished practice and I went inside. I did not realize that he had already put his retirement message at 7:29 pm,” Balaji said on the Star Sports 1 Tamil show Cricket Connected - ‘Aatam Thodarattum’

“So, after posting the message, Dhoni walked up to me as usual and he casually told me that he had asked the groundsman to water the ground extra for the pitch. I said okay. And I didn’t realize anything, it was a huge moment in his life. But, just like that he moved on, and that’s Dhoni for you.

“I finally realized he announced his retirement. It took some time for me to sink in the moment. Dhoni’s uniqueness is the way he is detached. He will never stop no matter what the situation is, and moves on in his own style.”

During the fag end of his international career, Balaji played under Dhoni, but it was his stint with CSK that the former India quick realised just how much of an impact the former captain had on the game and his players. Dhoni’s captaincy record needs no second mention. He retired as India’s most successful captain in limited-over internationals, having won three ICC trophies - 2007 T20 World Cup, 50-over World Cup in 2011 and the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy - the only captain to do so.

Looking back at Dhoni’s second-to-none 15-year-long career, Balaji reckons no former India cricketer, especially as captain, has had the kind of impact like Dhoni.

“From the year 2000, according to me, there’s nobody like Dhoni who’s had such a massive influence on not just Indian cricket but world cricket. I’ve heard about brutal hitting, hard hitting that when someone hits the ball, it’ll be difficult for a bowler or a fielder to even keep their hands on the ball. I saw that for the first time with Dhoni. Even now if there are 20-plus runs needed to win in the last over and if I had to pick someone, it would always be Dhoni. Such massive impact he has,” Balaji added.

“His leadership and his batting styles are totally different. His leadership changed the perception of leadership among all captains. The way he maintains his emotion on field, maintaining the team environment and camaraderie, leading the team successfully, only MS Dhoni could do it.”