An Open Letter to M S Dhoni!

Dearest Mahi,

Since almost a decade, you’ve been my reason to watch cricket with all my heart in it. I started loving this game because of you. It hurts to see some shitty people criticize you for every wrong thing that happens with Indian Cricket Team. But, not to forget, you’ve a mighty FANDOM that supports you everywhere you go, irrespective of states during IPL or countries during international games. There have been only a few players who have been blessed with such a huge family to stand by them. You are the best, Mahi. There was never a cricketer like you and there will never be a cricketer like you. You’ve been one of the best batsmen, wicket-keeper and the captain, World Cricket has ever witnessed.

It reminded me of the day when my heart broke out realizing that we would no more see you at the toss flipping the coin or at the post-match presentations talking about how well the boys did and what areas we need to improve. We still miss you as a captain Mahi, but our hearts were satisfied with the fact that what if not a captain, we would still see those lightning-fast stumpings and those huge helicopter shots taking the ball out of the stadium.

But today, that hope is also about to go down hearing about this match being your last world-cup match. No matter how much people disagree, every Indian watching that match had a hope that we haven’t lost the match until we have you on the crease. Even if we require 36 in 6 balls, there is one man out there who could have made this possible, that’s you. But things don’t turn up as we want them to be every time. And today was one of those days.

It hurts to see you disheartened, but we know you tried your best to get things done, every freaking time. You deserved to lift the World-Cup one last time. Nonetheless, you’ve got millions of hearts out there still silently hoping to see number 7 walk into the ground with that attitude and scream their voices out saying “Dhoni!! Dhoni!!”

We would love to see you back, with the same spirit. Your mighty FANDOM is always yours. Cheers to the wonderful moments you’ve given us. No citizen of this country is going to forget Ravi Shastri shouting in joy,

“Dhoni finishes off in style! A magnificent strike into the crowd. India lifts the world Cup after 28 years. The party starts in the dressing room and it is the Indian captain who has been absolutely magnificent on the night of the finals!!”

You’ll always be our captain, our finisher, our MSD.

-10.07.2018