ICC Cricket World Cup 2019: MS Dhoni hit a valiant fifty in India's semi-final defeat to New Zealand (Reuters Photo)
HIGHLIGHTS
- Sachin Tendulkar said everyone should respect MS Dhoni's contribution to Indian cricket
- M Dhoni played his last 50-over World Cup match on Wednesday
- Tendulkar said Dhoni should go out on his own terms
Batting great Sachin Tendulkar has said MS Dhoni should be given the space to go out on his own terms while insisting that the India wicketkeeper-batsman has had a "special" career in limited-overs cricket.
Speculations were rife that MS Dhoni would hang up his boots from international cricket after India's World Cup 2019 campaign. India Today though confirmed that there is no official world on Dhoni retiring from the 50-over format of the game.
MS Dhoni, India's World Cup-winning former captain, was left devasted when he was run out in the 49th over of India's chase vs New Zealand in the World Cup 2019 semi-final in Manchester on Wednesday. For the umpteenth time in his career, Dhoni kept the hopes of India alive by helping the team recover from 92 for 6 in their chase of 240.
Dhoni hit a valiant fifty and stitched a 106-run stand for the 7th wicket with Ravindra Jadeja but it wasn't enough as New Zealand won the semi-final by 18 runs and knocked India out of the World Cup.
"Thank You MS Dhoni" became a social media trend minutes after Dhoni was agonisingly run out by a Martin Guptill throw in the 49th over. It is safe to say, MS Dhoni, 38, had played his last 50-over World Cup match on Wednesday.
MS Dhoni has had a special career: Sachin Tendulkar
Speaking to India Today, Sachin Tendulkar said: "That's his personal decision [end of 50-over career]. Everyone should give him that space and respect that. Every should respect what his contribution to India cricket rather than starting speculations. After having contributed so much, he should be the one taking that decision."
Tendulkar heaped rich praise on MS Dhoni, saying not many have been able to have a successfull career as the India wicketkeeper. The batting great opined India fans wouldn't have given up hopes as long as Dhoni was out in the middle in the World Cup semi-final vs New Zealand.
"How many guys can have a career like this? He has had a special career. The support and belief that people have in him is a reflection of his contribution. People still believed that he could go and finish the game. The game was not over till the time he was out there."
Meanwhile, India captain Virat Kohli confirmed that he has not been informed anything by MS Dhoni about the veteran's future. India topped the points table with 7 wins from 9 matches but, as Kohli pointed out, 45 minutes of poor cricket knocked them out of the World Cup.
Here's what happened in the press conference in Manchester on Wednesday
Reporter: After this, India are going to the West Indies to play ODIs as well. There are speculations about what MS Dhoni will do next. Has he told anything about his plans to your or the team?
Virat Kohli: No, he hasn't told us anything about his future.
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