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‘Sorry but BCCI didn’t treat MS Dhoni the right way’: Former Pakistan spinner Saqlain Mushtaq

MS Dhoni retirement: Saqlain Mushtaq said millions of Dhoni’s fans would have wanted to see him in the Indian jersey for one last time before he hung his boots.

Updated on: Aug 23, 2020, 10:23:45 IST
Hindustan Times, New Delhi | By
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Former Pakistan off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq said the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) did not treat MS Dhoni in the right way and his retirement should not have happened without a proper farewell. Saqlain said millions of Dhoni’s fans would have wanted to see him in the Indian jersey for one last time before he hung his boots.

File image of MS Dhoni. (Getty Images)
File image of MS Dhoni. (Getty Images)

“I always say positive things and try not to spread negativity in any way but I think I should say this. This is kind of a defeat of BCCI. They did not treat a big player like him in the right way. The retirement shouldn’t have happened like this. This is coming straight from my heart and I believe millions of his fans feel the same way. I’m really sorry to BCCI that I’m saying this but they didn’t treat Dhoni well, I’m hurt,” said Saqlain in his YouTube channel.

Also read: Sourav Ganguly reiterates that India will host England next year

Dhoni decided to announce his retirement from international cricket on India’s 74th Independence Day on August 15. He took to Instagram to post a four-minute-long video describing his journey as an India cricketer to make the announcement.

“May God bless him in his future endeavours and whatever decisions he makes but there is one regret that I have. I think Dhoni’s every fan will have the same regret. It would’ve been great to see him retire after playing in the India kit for one last time,” Saqlain added.

Dhoni, who did not play any competitive cricket match since India’s semi-final defeat to New Zealand in the World Cup 2019 at Manchester in England, will return to action as the leader of Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2020. The 13th edition of IPL will begin from September 19 in the UAE.

Also read: Misbah-Ul-Haq may be asked to quit chief selector post

Saqlain said Dhoni must have had a dream of retiring in a better way.

“Glad that he will play in IPL. But his international retirement should have been different. Every cricketer has some dreams, I had that too but because of my injury that didn’t materialize but I believe every cricketer wants to exit the game on a high as he had entered it. I’m sure Dhoni must have had this dream,” Saqlain, who is widely hailed as the inventor of the ‘doosra’ delivery, said.

The former Pakistan spinner hailed Dhoni as a real hero. “MS Dhoni you are a gem of a person and real hero, proud of you,” he signed off.

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