Mahendra Singh Dhoni Bids Adieu From Tests (December 30, 2014)
In one of the many announcements (retirement) that have happened in the past, one from the mouth of India’s most successful skipper in longer-format, Mahendra Singh Dhoni came on this very day two years back in 2014.
It was last day of the Boxing Day Test between India and Australia at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground. In the fourth innings, India were chasing a target of 384 and had already lost three wickets by end of second session. Carefully escaping a collapse after tea, Dhoni and Ravichandran Ashwin batted India through to a draw.
Until the end of post-match conference, there was no sign of anyone calling a decision on their playing career. However, it was after that, the shocker came. Mahendra Singh Dhoni, in closed quarters of the side’s dressing room announced his retirement from Test Cricket, bringing much distress to the nation.
Under his captaincy in 60 matches, India attained victory in 27 of them, which is most by any Indian captain so far. Until November 2016, when Virat Kohli scored 235 against England in Mumbai, it was Dhoni’s 224 against Australia in Chennai, the highest innings total registered by an Indian captain in Tests.