Coach Ravi Shastri Reveals Why MS Dhoni Took The Ball From Umpire

Team India coach Ravi Shastri on Thursday dismissed all speculations about whether Mahendra Singh Dhoni was retiring or not. Shastri's comments came after social media on Wednesday was abuzz with speculations that the 2011 World Cup winning captain MS Dhoni will soon retire from all formats of the game. Dhoni was seen taking the match ball from the umpires at the end of the third one-day international against England at the Headingley cricket ground in Leeds on Tuesday, and Twitter went on overdrive as fans began to wonder about the significance of the move.

"That's rubbish. MS is not going anywhere," Ravi Shastri said.

Shastri said Dhoni took the ball from umpire to show it to bowling coach Bharat Arun.

Dismissing the speculation, Shastri said: "MS wanted to show the ball to Bharat Arun. He wanted to show him the wear and tear the ball had endured, to get a general idea of what the conditions were like."

"But right now, all this clamour is nonsense. He just wanted to show the ball to Arun to just have a look at it after close to 45 overs had been bowled," Shastri told Times of India.

Dhoni, who announced his retirement from Tests in 2014, has played 321 ODIs and 93 T20Is.

In 321 ODIs, Dhoni has scored 10046 runs at an average of 51.25. He has 10 centuries and 67 fifties to his name.

Dhoni has amassed 1487 runs in 93 T20Is at an average of 37.17, including two half-centuries.

Recently, Dhoni added another feather to his illustrious cap as he became fourth Indian and 12th overall in ODI history to score 10,000 runs. The former India skipper achieved the milestone during second ODI against England at Lord's.

Dhoni has joined the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly, Kumar Sangakkara, Brian Lara and Sanath Jayasuriya on the elite list.

The 2011 World Cup winning captain is only the second wicketkeeper-batsman to touch the 10000-run mark. Sangakkara was the first designated wicketkeeper-batsman to achieve the landmark.

Under Dhoni's captaincy, India lifted the 50-over World Cup in 2011 and the World Twenty20 in 2007. Dhoni also led India to the ICC Champions Trophy in 2013 in England.

Topics mentioned in this article

India Cricket Team England Cricket Team MS Dhoni England vs India, 2018 Cricket Ravi Shastri Virat Kohli