Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren has urged the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to host a farewell match for former skipper MS Dhoni, who announced his retirement from international cricket on Saturday.
MS Dhoni, who was born and brought in Ranchi, has played domestic cricket for the state (then in Bihar). He had represented Bihar, East Zone, and Jharkhand in the domestic circuit. The way MS Dhoni has bid adieu from international cricket, it has left the cricketing world disappointed. A player of MS Dhoni’s stature deserves a grand farewell but the former India skipper decided to walk away silently.
However, Hemant Soren wants the BCCI to make sure the wicketkeeper-batsman is given a farewell match at his home town. Mr. Soren took to Twitter to appeal to the BCCI for the farewell game as he lauded Jharkhand’s most famous and beloved son.
“Mahi, who has given many moments of pride and enthusiasm to the country and Jharkhand, has retired from international cricket today. We will not be able to see everyone’s favorite Jharkhand-born cricketer in the Blue jersey. But the heart of the countrymen is not full yet,” Soren tweeted.
“I wish Mahi get a farewell match in Ranchi which will be seen across the globe. I urge BCCI to give Mahi a farewell match which will be hosted by Jharkhand,” he added.
मुख्यमंत्री श्री @HemantSorenJMM ने भारतीय क्रिकेट टीम के पूर्व कप्तान श्री @msdhoni द्वारा अंतराष्ट्रीय क्रिकेट से संन्यास की घोषणा के बाद कहा कि देश और झारखण्ड को गर्व और उत्साह के अनेक क्षण देने वाले माही ने आज अंतरराष्ट्रीय क्रिकेट से संन्यास ले लिया है।
— Office of Chief Minister, Jharkhand (@JharkhandCMO) August 15, 2020
हम सबके चहेते झारखण्ड का लाल माही को नीली जर्सी पहने अब नहीं देख पायेंगे। लेकिन देशवासियों का दिल अभी भरा नहीं। मैं मानता हूँ। हमारे माही का एक फ़ेयरवेल मैच रांची में हो जिसका गवाह पूरा विश्व बने। @BCCI से अपील करना चाहूँगा। माही का फेयरवेल मैच कराया जाये। मेजबानी झारखण्ड करेगा।
— Office of Chief Minister, Jharkhand (@JharkhandCMO) August 15, 2020
It won’t be wrong to state that MS Dhoni brought Jharkhand on India’s cricketing map. He was the man who gave millions of budding cricketers the belief that no matter what their background is, they can always succeed with the right mindset and hard work. The legendary cricketer retires as one of game’s most decorated captains and wicketkeeper-batsmen.
It was under his leadership that India lifted the 2007 T20 World, 2011 World Cup and 2013 Champions Trophy. Till date, he is the only captain to have won all the three ICC tournaments. It was also under his leadership that India became the number one Test side in 2009 and the team stayed at the top for over 600 days.
MS Dhoni played 350 ODIs and scored 10,773 runs with the highest score of 183* against Sri Lanka. In 98 T20Is, he amassed 1617 runs at an average of 37.60.