Dhoni finishes off in style
When MS DHONI announced his retirement from international cricket yesterday, he took cricket lovers all over the world by a surprise. While he will be seen leading Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2020, the fact that we won’t see him in the blue Indian jersey no. 7 on the ground ever again is heartbreaking beyond measure.
Dhoni put up an emotional message on his Instagram handle:
“Thanks a lot for ur love and support throughout. from 1929 hrs consider me as Retired.”
India happened to lose to New Zealand in the 2019 World Cup Sem-Finals at 19:29 hrs. While one might think the choice of 1929 was only for the aforementioned reason, it has got a deeper meaning. The number has immense significance in numerology. The angel number 1929 is a message that one has completed a major phase in life which has brought closure to projects and /or ways of doing or being. Further, the angels support and encourage you to continue along your path knowing that you are heading in the right direction.
While Dhoni has always stayed away from the limelight by giving others the chance to enjoy the moment, he has never failed to play a masterstroke when it comes to communicating his decisions. His announcement yesterday exemplifies the same.
The video shared by Mahi on Instagram depicts his entire journey in visuals while the song ‘Main pal do pal ka shayar hoon’ plays in the background — his highs and lows, the wins and the losses, the cheers and the boos, him and his love for cricket, dedication and commitment for team India. The duration of the video is 4:07 mins, which is 247 seconds, and can be attributed to 24*7 — his everyday life of cricket from which he is retiring.
The choice of the song was not surprising. The song is from the 1976 film Kabhi Kabhie produced and directed by Yash Chopra, starring an ensemble cast including Amitabh Bachchan, Raakhee, Shashi Kapoor, Waheeda Rehman, Rishi Kapoor, and Neetu Singh. In press conferences or army camps he visited, whenever he was asked to hum few lines, he would always sing his favorite lines –“Mai Pal Do Pal ka Shayar hoon. Pal Do Pal meri kahaani hai”.
With zero media coverage, no guard of honor, no farewell speech — which he deserved more than anyone else, Dhoni in his usual trademark fashion left the 22-yard pitch with a small 4:07 mins video and a short 2 line note to express his gratitude for his humongous fan base world over.
Dhoni not only redefined Indian cricket, but also introduced us to innovation in ways of thinking, being and communicating. Subtleness, brevity and integrity have always characterized his way of passing on things. A man of few words, Mahi has always left a mark on our hearts with his actions, his words and with him being himself in the most unpredictable way. That is MS Dhoni for you. Signing off in style.
