‘Main pal do pal ka shayar hoon, pal do pal meri kahani hai.’
And, just like that, Mahendra Singh Dhoni has retired his Team India jersey. Arguably the biggest name in Indian cricket, one of the largest cricketing icons across the globe, the ‘Man with the Midas Touch’, the player who struck gold. The finisher who redefined the art of batting, the captain, who won the world with his calm demeanor.
From swooning us with his long locks to making us realise how roles changed as eras changed, Dhoni stood tall as the quintessential hero you could always look up to.
Yet, with Dhoni around, you always got a feeling that cricket was but a mere part of his existence. He indulged in his love for fast bikes and even-faster cars. He revelled in his love for the Indian Army.
In an age when social media defines an influencer’s worth, he shied away from overzealous brand promotions, keeping his feeds limited to Ziva’s innocent antics or amateurish portraits of his dogs.
For a player who never followed the rules beyond the rope, Instagram became the perfect place for him to bid adieu. Dhoni’s 107th post on the social media platform came out of the blue, shocking everyone around.
It made you sit up and notice. It made you smile as the photographs shared by the Ranchi cricketer brought back happy and bittersweet memories.
There were grabs of his off-days as well, of the effigies that were burnt as Team India was knocked out of the 2007 World Cup, or the duck that was scored on his debut. It highlighted the legends who inspired Dhoni, it thanked the youngsters who Dhoni shared the field with.
Taking us from the zenith of the T20 World Cup win in 2007 to the despair of the 2019 semi-final loss in the World Cup last year, the four-minute video encompassed Dhoni’s cricketing life perfectly.
It had brightness. It had pain. It had exhilarating joy. You loved him when he took the world by storm. You hated him when his big-hitting skills were on the wane. You criticised him for not walking away earlier. But when you watched him really and truly say goodbye, you could not help but shed a tear.
Dhoni has retired.
‘Woh bhi ek pal ka hissa they, main bhi ek pal ka hissa hoon. (They were present for a moment, I too am present for a moment).’
Why did Dhoni choose the song that he chose to announce to the world the biggest decision of his career? Speaking about temporary existences and fleeting journeys and how time moves on with or without a being, the popular Bollywood song forms the background in the farewell video that has been carefully crafted, though, seems unsurprisingly amateurish yet again.
As the lyrics go on to talk about the wizards of the past, who have left a deep impact by their contributions, Dhoni presents us stills with the greats of the game, who have not only played a part in moulding his career but have been selfless servants of Indian cricket.
From Zaheer Khan to Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid to Ashish Nehra, Harbhajan Singh to VVS Laxman, every hero finds a place in the film, which you realize is less about Dhoni and more about nostalgia.
Till the song moves forward, and till the words ‘Koi kyu mujhe yaad kare, masroof zamaana mere liye, kyu waqt apna barbaad karei (Why should anyone remember me? Why should the busy generation waste their time on me?)’ are heard.
The sudden shock that had given way to a relaxed smile as you reminisced about the Yuvrajs and Gambhirs and Kumbles gives way to a sinking feeling. Is that what Dhoni really feels? Has he, over the years, been unable to grasp onto the impact that he has had on innumerable fans?
Does he think that he will be so easily forgotten or wiped away from the hearts that he still resides in?
Or is it because he wants his fans to treat him like he treated the game, a small part of a whole? An idol who should not consume their lives just like he did not let cricket consume his.
Here is where it will get tough ‘Mahi’. You have taught us to dream, and you have taught us that destiny is what we make of it. You showed us that men and women from small towns can harbour larger-than-life dreams and silly passions.
You were the best example of humility, even as you conquered every ICC tournament and every bowler around. You switched off from cricket just as easily as you switched on, and made your fans realise how life is the friends we meet and the memories we make.
You handled journalists and criticisms with a cheeky comment, you let go of your persona to play pranks on the youngsters in the team to made them feel welcome.
You put your country above everything else, and you valued your teammates and your brothers like family. Your ode to Suresh Raina, who walked away from the Team India jersey with you, in your video, showed us how to treat people, value people and appreciate people.
Even when you were not at your peak, you forced us to believe in you, which will forever remain your legacy. And for that, dear Mahi, you shall always be remembered.
‘Woh mere beech nahi aaye, mei unke beech mei kyu aaoo? Unki subah aur shaamo ka mei ek bhi lamha kyu paaoo? (They never came in my way, why should I come in their way? Why should I steal away even a second of their glory?).’
Ending his video just like he played the game, Dhoni disappears into the shadows by the end as he paves the way for younger legs to take his place. The sight of the cricketer hiding behind the jubilant players in every presentation ceremony was not an uncommon sight, and he beautifully juxtaposes visuals of his heartbreaking run-out against New Zealand in the World Cup semis with a message for the youngsters.
By teaching them to create their life but never let selfishness come in the way, he once again sets a benchmark that they ought to remember, when their playing days are nearing the end.
At ‘19:29 hrs’, incidentally (or intentionally) also the moment of his run-out against New Zealand, Dhoni walked away from Team India but he will never truly walk away from our lives. After all, he was never just a ‘pal do pal ka shayar’. He is, and will be, an everlasting inspiration.
(Sarah Waris is a postgraduate in English Literature has taken on the tough task of limiting the mystic world of cricket to a few hundred words.)
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