MS Dhoni's Test retirement: Who said what

MS DhoniIndian captain MS Dhoni’s retirement from Test cricket has come out of the blue, leaving the entire cricketing world in shock. Although the results with the team away from home haven’t been great of late, it was expected that the 33-year-old would see through the ongoing Australian Test series at least. However, he has opted to call it a day with immediate effect.A BCCI press release confirmed the Virat Kohli will be captaining the team in the fourth and final match of the series. Here is how former Indian cricketers reacted to Dhoni’s retirement:

#1 Sunil Gavaskar

Speaking to NDTV, Sunil Gavaskar said: "The decision comes as a huge surprise. Though it is not sudden. I was expecting him to step down from captaincy after the Sydney match but did not think he will retire as a player. I still think that he had 2 or 3 more years of cricket left in him.

"In a captain's life sometimes the burden gets too heavy. This Test match (Melbourne game) was like that. There are times when you try everything and nothing works. And probably that time had come for Dhoni.

"Dhoni knew Virat Kohli was ready to step in and therefore his decision is not surprising.

“The burden on him grew over the last two-three days in Melbourne. Had India won at MCG, Dhoni would have been in a better frame of mind to resign after the Sydney Test.

"What he has achieved for Indian cricket is incredible, what he brought and his contribution cannot be measured in words.”

#2 Rahul Dravid

Speaking to Wisden India, Dravid said: “Dhoni has cited the strain of playing all formats as the reason behind his decision. If he did feel that way, then it is a good time to call it a day.

“You want to be leading your country when you are 100% sure you are up for it. The good thing from India’s perspective is that Virat (Kohli) is in a position, especially with his excellent form, to be able to take over. There might be some who might question the timing of Dhoni’s retirement, but knowing MS, I am sure if the series was alive, he wouldn’t have retired in the middle of the series. With the series now gone, I am sure he would have felt the time is right.

“Dhoni’s contribution to Indian cricket has been immense. For him to have gone on to play 90 Tests and become India’s most successful captain, coming from a small town like Ranchi, is a phenomenal achievement. He has been an inspiration to many young cricketers across India.

Agreed, recent results haven’t worked out overseas, but overall, he has had a great run as the Indian captain, which was reflected in the fact that he was the skipper when we went to No. 1 in the ICC Test rankings.”

“There are a lot of good things about him to remember. One of the things I liked most was that he always led by example. He brought a lot of dignity and respect to the role of the captain. It was a pleasure to play under him.

In my opinion, he will go down as one of India’s finest captains. I also feel this decision to quit Test cricket will free him up and he will be able to focus on defending the World Cup as India’s captain.”

#3 VVS Laxman and Anil Kumble

VVS Laxman

"He will always be remembered as being a captain who led with authority and for being a match-winner. I am surprised at his decision (to retire) but one needs to respect him for it. It is his personal call.

"When I retired (in 2012), there was a lot of needless speculation. Fans would also want to know what made Dhoni choose to retire from Tests. More clarification is definitely needed.

"He has been an exceptional figure for the team and ensured dressing room's atmosphere never changed. If India failed in overseas Tests, it was because the team failed collectively and was not really Dhoni's fault. A captain is only as good as his team."

Anil Kumble

“I am surprised by the decision. But I guess with the results not going India’s way, he felt the need to step down and finish with Tests, not play on just as a player.”

#4 Sachin Tendulkar

Sachin Tendulkar

“Seems like the other day that MSD debuted in Test cricket. After nine wonderful years, he says goodbye. He has several achievements both in front and behind the stumps but leading India to the No. 1 Test side would be the highlight of his Test career. I wish him the very best for the defence of the World Cup in 2015.”

#5 Chandu Borde and Dilip Vengsarkar

Dilip Vengsarkar

Chandu Borde

“It came as a surprise, didn’t it, that he quit midstream. It could have been taken earlier. But perhaps he thought it was the right time to hand over the mantle to the next man. I think he has quit in the larger interest of the game.”

Dilip Vengsarkar

“I thought he will play for one or two more years in Test cricket as he’s a very fit person. His overall record overseas has been average, but India does not have the bowling attack to take 20 wickets in overseas conditions.”

#6 Yuvraj Singh and Harbhajan Singh

Yuvraj Singh (L) and Harbhajan Singh

An IBNlive report said that out-of-favour Indian all-rounder Yuvraj Singh refused to comment when asked about Dhoni’s retirement, while yet another national discard Harbhajan Singh has said that he doesn’t have anything to say on the issue. The report quotes Harbhajan as saying, "I will not say anything as I have nothing to say."

#7 Ravi Shastri

Speaking to Wisden India, Indian cricket team director Ravi Shastri described how Dhoni conveyed the decision to his teammates. He said: “Dhoni came to cricket like a tiger and left like a lion. When he walked into the dressing-room, got the team together and said what he had to, he caught us all off guard. There were no dramas, he just said, very openly, ‘I can’t play all formats anymore, so I’m announcing my retirement from Tests.’

“He has always been someone who will do what he wants to, and he stayed true to that till the last moment. To have the guts to say to his team that he could not go on playing all formats, it tells you how honest he is with himself and his mates.”

He added: “He did not think about playing 100 Tests and celebrating that, he did not worry about what people might say. He knew the time was right and the respect for him has just gone to another level within the team. For every cricketer, you know in your heart when your number is up. But it still takes a lot to walk away. To do what he did, the way he did it, all his career, it’s something people in all walks of life should reflect on. Someone once called me the champion of champions, but, to me, Dhoni is the real champion of champions.”