Ravi Shastri Recalls MS Dhoni’s Surprise Test Exit After R Ashwin Announces Retirement | WATCH

As R Ashwin shocked the cricket community with his surprise retirement, former India coach Ravi Shastri recalled MS Dhoni's unexpected Test retirement, which also took people by surprise.

Ravi Shastri recalled MS Dhoni’s abrupt Test retirement in 2014, revealing how Dhoni calmly announced his decision to the team.

Source : PTI and ICC

Ravichandran Ashwin surprised the cricket community as he announced his sudden retirement from international cricket on December 18 (Wednesday). Ashwin retired as India’s second-highest wicket-taker in Tests for India with 537 wickets, only behind Anil Kumble. As Ashwin retired, former India coach Ravi Shastri compared the off-spinner’s unexpected retirement to MS Dhoni’s surprise retirement. Former India skipper, Dhoni, also announced his decision to retire midway through an Australia tour back in 2014, something that caught everyone off-guard.

Speaking on SEN Radio, Ravi Shastri recalled MS Dhoni’s abrupt Test retirement in 2014, revealing how Dhoni calmly announced his decision to the team after a drawn match at the MCG. 

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"Like MS Dhoni, he didn't wait. He just walked in here. I was the coach. He said, "Ravi, I need to have a chat with the boys for 5 minutes" after we drew the game at the MCG. So I said, sure, you might be saying, you know, boys, well done to draw this game or things that he just said thank you. I'm done with Test cricket. I said there was one test match to go with. I just, you know, just, just walked up there, 5 minute speech, no tantrums, no, you know, no shenanigans. I'm done. Thank you very much for your support,” said Ravi Shastri.

Watch the video here:

.@RaviShastriOfc explains the story behind MS Dhoni retiring and how it took everyone by surprise.#AUSvIND #BorderGavaskarTrophy pic.twitter.com/iBa0BA5yUC

— SEN Cricket (@SEN_Cricket) December 18, 2024

“You know, I won't be there in Sydney. But my total support to you guys because after that it was the World Cup, yeah, and he was going to play. He was the captain of the World Cup side, but it's just that, so you know. These days there's so much of cricket. There's IPL cricket. There's other cricket who, if you think you've had enough here, players will just walk away," Shastri added.

Dhoni Did Not Wait For His 100th Test: Shastri

Shastri revealed that none of the players, even those close to Dhoni, had any idea about his decision, and that he chose to step away without waiting for a milestone 100th match or a grand farewell, stating simply that he was done with the format and ready to move on.

"None of the boys knew. So I looked around the dressing room. I said, Did he have a chat with you? Did he have a chat with you? No one had a clue. Even the guys who went out or spent time with him 3 days before that. No one had a clue he was going to come and say what he did. And he played 94 or 95 test matches. Normally, you know, in India, a player of his stature, if he plays his 100th test match, and they're given that test match to say Ranchi. The whole town would have been there on the grounds, you know, to celebrate that 100th test match, but none of that stuff for him. He just said 'I wanted to pack my bags. I'm done with whites."