'MS Dhoni kept the happiness of Sachin Tendulkar winning the World Cup above his own' - Aakash Chopra

Former Indian opener Aakash Chopra showered praise on MS Dhoni for keeping Sachin Tendulkar's glory and happiness above his own when India won the 2011 World Cup.

With MS Dhoni having announced his retirement from international cricket yesterday, Aakash Chopra highlighted the great traits MS Dhoni displayed throughout his glorious career while paying a tribute to him on his YouTube channel.

Aakash Chopra started by terming MS Dhoni's decision to call it quits from international cricket as an inevitable decision, considering that the latter had not played a competitive match for more than a year.

"Some things you know are going to happen. Although you are not waiting for them, you know that it is inevitable. If you have not played cricket for one year, there is talk of him before and after every selection, but he never made himself available."

He added that although everyone knew that this decision was just around the corner, they were hoping to see MS Dhoni in the India colours again.

"What goes on in Dhoni's mind, only he knows, we keep reiterating this. You know it is going to happen, but your heart wants it not to happen. You keep hoping that you might see Dhoni playing in the blue jersey."

The reputed commentator opined that MS Dhoni deserved a grand farewell, but opted to announce his retirement through an Instagram post that summarised his career in a nutshell.

"Let's start with the way he went. He deserved a phenomenal farewell, the bigger the farewell it would feel small for him. But Dhoni didn't care. An Instagram post and in that a song, all the memories encapsulated in the little few minute video."

Aakash Chopra pointed out that MS Dhoni's greatest quality was that he was never careless even though he was carefree.

"What do you do Dhoni, but that's what Dhoni is. That defined Dhoni because what I found different in him than others was that he was carefree but never careless."

The 42-year-old lauded the former Indian captain for never hogging the limelight, even on the grand occasion of having the World Cup final, that too after having struck the winning six.

"The other thing that stood for me was that he knew the importance of the moment. India had won the World Cup after 28 years in 2011 and Dhoni was the captain."

"The captain knows that it is a very big moment which might not come in his career again. In such a case, the captain wants to take the centre stage so that the entire world knows that MS Dhoni was the captain at the time, in fact he sealed it with a six."

Aakash Chopra spoke highly of MS Dhoni allowing Sachin Tendulkar to bask in the glory of the moment, considering that it was the last World Cup for the Master Blaster.

"But he knew very well that it was not about him, of course it was about India but it was also about Sachin Tendulkar because it was the last World Cup for Tendulkar and he kept the happiness of Sachin Tendulkar winning the World Cup above his own."

"He told Sachin paaji to walk in the front and he would follow him. You win the World Cup and stay at the back and don't come ahead, that was unbelievable. He knew the importance of moments but never got overwhelmed."

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Aakash Chopra's views on MS Dhoni grooming young players

Aakash Chopra credited MS Dhoni for grooming the Indian youngsters

Aakash Chopra praised MS Dhoni for grooming young Indian cricketers while also giving them the opportunity to hold aloft the trophy first, thereby giving them a feeling of belonging.

"MS Dhoni changed the DNA of Indian cricket. He made the young players, who were playing their first series, to hold the trophy. Because if you are the first person to lift the trophy, you will feel that you belong to this place."

"That understanding that Dhoni had, no one else had. He groomed players. Whoever MS Dhoni took under his wings, he made them a very big player."

Aakash Chopra opined that Sourav Ganguly built the Indian team almost from scratch while MS Dhoni had to manage the transition of the Indian team from the experienced brigade to the youngsters, something the 39-year-old managed very well.

"As a captain, Sourav Ganguly had to start with a clean slate by choosing youngsters for which he was the perfect man. But when Dhoni got the baton, there were senior players."

"When senior players are close to the exit door and you need to give opportunities to new players, to maintain the balance you needed a different temperament, MS Dhoni did an unbelievable job there."

Aakash Chopra also credited MS Dhoni for keeping the toughest job of finishing the innings to himself while allowing the youngsters to blossom at the top of the order.

"While you can understand how to lead by example, from the front or by consensus, Dhoni showed how to lead from behind. He empowered the youngsters to play at the top of the order and when they were stuck, he managed the situation. He did the most difficult tasks himself and promoted the youngsters."

He observed that the wicket-keeper-batsman scripted his own manual, for keeping wickets as well as for finishing the innings.

"With his own conviction, he made a wicketkeeping manual and one for finishing a game. So, whenever a book is written on cricket, the finishing chapter would be written by MS Dhoni or would be written on him."

The former KKR player signed off by stating that the CSK captain had shown how to get the best out of the available resources, while adding that the Chennai-based franchise would excel as long as they have MS Dhoni at the helm.

"MS Dhoni has shown us that even if he is given an under-19 team, he will take them to the final 4 of the IPL. He has been that kind of a player. He showed how birds can be made to fight with a hawk."

"If you remove MS Dhoni from CSK, it will be like removing the soul from the body. Till the time he is there, the CSK flag will always be flying high."

MS Dhoni announced his retirement from international cricket yesterday. One of India's all-time greatest cricketers will now be seen leading Chennai Super Kings in the upcoming IPL, with his innumerable fans waiting to see him in action.

Congrats #MSDhoni on an amazing international career. You should be so incredibly proud of what you achieved on the field as a player and as one of the great leaders. You were always a tough opponent to play against and now playing with you for @ChennaiIPL has been a real treat. pic.twitter.com/dQEaIWfyFl

— Shane Watson (@ShaneRWatson33) August 16, 2020