38 years ago, on a sunny Tuesday in Ranchi, a man who would later change the course of Indian Cricket was born. He was christened as Mahendra Singh Dhoni but now, the five letter word “Dhoni” resonates crores of heartbeats across India.
30 years after he was born
A 2-year-old Dhoni might not have given much into Kapil Dev lifting the World Cup at the Lord’s Balcony in 1983 but one thing was sure, 28 years later, the image of an Indian captain lifting the World Cup at Wankhede would remain clear in his memory for it was his hands that were holding the trophy. In between, the man had to struggle his way to the cusp of cricket in the country and also ensure a hard transition from the golden generation of Indian cricket to the new age Indian Cricket Team in which he was the only “Bridge”.
The Bridge
From Sachin to Virat, Sehwag to Rohith, Zaheer Khan to Bumrah and many more, there was just one man in common. This man also gave us plenty of memories with his batting and wicket-keeping skills and unfortunately, 2 games later, Dhoni’s tenure in Indian colors could come to an end.
Final 200 overs
If India does reach the final and if Dhoni decides to hang up his boots, the chapter “Dhoni in Blue” could come to a close. With age catching up on him and youngsters waiting for their opportunities, this World Cup could very well be the end of Dhoni’s international career. We can only hope and wish that the end will be a fitting one.
What’s next for the Number 7 Jersey & the man in it?
Very few would dare take up this jersey number in the future of Indian Cricket. However, for the man who wore the jersey, a lot of services are left to Indian Cricket and the country in particular. His brilliant cricketing mind would take years to be tapped in and with his position in the Army; Mahendra Singh Dhoni will forever be in our memories for many more birthdays to come.
