'I didn’t realize anything'- Laxmipathy Balaji Reveals His Conversation With MS Dhoni Minutes After His Retirement Post

One of the greatest qualities of MS Dhoni– and there were many- was his ability to completely detach himself from the situation. No matter how dire or good the situation was, Dhoni was almost always unfazed by it. That is because the former Indian captain has always believed in the process rather than the end result. Dhoni always looks at failures or a bad day in the office as a lesson and an opportunity to improve.

And, perhaps this is the precise reason why when everyone- from fans to media to former cricketers to pundits- were going berserk on social media following the retirement of MS Dhoni from international cricket, the former captain was busy talking to his CSK bowling coach Laxmipathy Balaji about general cricketing matters, minutes after his announcement on Instagram.

Former Indian fast bowler and CSK bowling coach Laxmipathy Balaji has revealed that he was ‘unaware’ that Dhoni had announced his retirement when he was having a chat with the captain, adding that MS Dhoni’s demeneour did not give even a slight indication that he had called curtains on his decorated career.

”After practice gets over, I normally talk a lot to Dhoni about the wicket, about practicing and playing conditions. So that day, I finished practice and I went inside. I did not realize that he had already put his retirement message at 7:29 pm. So, after posting the message, Dhoni walked up to me as usual and he casually told me that he had asked the groundsman to water the ground extra for the pitch. I said okay. And I didn’t realize anything, it was a huge moment in his life,” Laxmipathy Balaji said on Star Sports show ‘Cricket Connected’

“But, just like that, he moved on, and that’s Dhoni for you. I finally realized he announced his retirement. It took some time for me to sink in the moment. Dhoni’s uniqueness is the way he is detached. He will never stop no matter what the situation is, and moves on in his own style,” he added.

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‘There’s nobody like Dhoni who’s had such a massive influence on the game’- Laxmipathy Balaji on MS Dhoni

Balaji, who played under the leadership of MS Dhoni for both India and Chennai Super Kings, hailed the former Indian skipper as the best cricketer that the country has produced since the turn of the century; someone who has had a massive influence on not just Indian cricket but also on the global game.

”From the year 2000, according to me, there’s nobody like Dhoni who’s had such a massive influence on not just Indian cricket but world cricket. I’ve heard about brutal hitting, hard-hitting that when someone hits the ball, it’ll be difficult for a bowler or a fielder to even keep their hands on the ball. I saw that for the first time with Dhoni,” he added.

Also Read- Michael Holding Lauds MS Dhoni For His Brilliant International Career