India vs Australia 3rd ODI: Is it the 'final' homecoming for MS Dhoni?

RANCHI: Ravi Shastri is known for his animated reactions. "First find someone who is good enough to tie his shoe laces," thundered the former India captain during an interview in 2016, when asked about a certain Mahendra Singh Dhoni's unwillingness to hang up his boots despite a run of lacklustre performances.

Since then, Shastri has gone on to become the coach of the national side and Dhoni has gone from being captain to elder statesman.


In white-ball cricket, however, few captains, past or present, have come close to matching his feats. With two World Cup trophies and a Champions Trophy in his cabinet, Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been Jharkhand's best gift to the country.

But then all good things must come to an end. So to it is with 'Mahi'. Even though there has been no announcement or indication, Friday's third ODI against Australia could well be Dhoni's last international match at JSCA International Stadium, his own backyard. While that possibility is keeping everyone here on their toes, Mahi is his usual cool self.

On a cool, dry Thursday morning with his shades on, a full-sleeved Dhoni walked up to SB Singh, the curator, and gave the pitch a long look, felt it with his hands, spoke to Singh at length and then proceeded for a nets session.

"He knows each and every blade of grass here like the back of his hand. The binding of the pitch, the materials used. Dhoni knows it all," said Jharkhand State Cricket Association (JSCA) secretary Debashis Chakraborty.

The 37-year-old warmed up calmly against the medium pacers, only looking to middle the ball before moving over to take throwdowns in an adjacent net. That is when Dhoni the aggressor decided to show up. Targetting his own name which now adorns the South Stand, Dhoni used the long handle, regularly clubbing the ball with power and precision. "He was thinking it'd be good if he could hit it towards his name (in the stands)," teammate Bhuvneshwar Kumar later told the media with a smile.

Dhoni's former coach Chanchal Bhattacharya said, "If he bats like this tomorrow (Friday), spectators will be in for a treat. I've seen him bat like this in a practice session after a long time. It augurs well."

Bhuvneshwar couldn't agree more.

"It's very important. You know that he can win matches for the country from any situation. When he's in form, he knows how to handle situations and players coming after him. His experience and form is very important for India," he said.

Street-smart and tactically strong, Dhoni has indeed been a colossus of Indian cricket, especially when the act has been in coloured clothes. But how difficult will it be to replace a player of his stature once he is done?

"There won't be another one like him, ever. Remember Virat Kohli or Sachin Tendulkar are pure batsmen but Dhoni is a wicketkeeper-batsman. The newcomers look promising but no one will be able to replace him," concluded Bhattacharya.

As he drove off in his Land Rover with Kedar Jadhav and Rishabh Pant, his heir apparent, the crowd waiting for him at the gate showered Mahi with affection. Some things never change. Ranchi's love for Dhoni is one of them.