Dhoni quits gracefully, unlike Sachin Tendulkar

Mahendra Singh Dhoni is a maverick and he lived up to the image even on the last day of his Test career in Melbourne on Tuesday. After India drew the match against the combative Aussies, Dhoni made no mention of his decision to retire at the press conference right away.

A quick call to the BCCI bosses in India and the Ranchi hero had conveyed his decision that he had enough of Test cricket. If BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel is to be believed, Dhoni had not even told his teammates of his decision. However, it was only after speaking to Patel did Dhoni formally convey the decision to the boys in the MCG dressing room that his Test career was history.

The BCCI then put out a formal release that "Captain Marvel" had ended his Test career as usual in a style which few would dare to imitate.

Watching the reactions of former cricketers on Dhoni's retirement roll out is indeed amusing. The very same set of cricketers who bayed for his blood are now singing paeans about Dhoni the captain. To be clear, Dhoni's arrogance and seemingly lazy style emerges from being a cricketer who came from the hinterland.

When Anil Kumble bid goodbye to Test cricket in 2008, the stage was set for Dhoni to take over as captain. There is a certain formality you look for when you appoint a Test captain. If you go by the old classic Test captains in Indian cricket, Dhoni never fit the bill.

His wicket keeping style was different and the way he batted may have raised the hackles of those who wrote coaching manuals in England! Yet, for someone who played 90 Tests and scored 486 runs, losing six consecutive series abroad is a bad record.

As a captain, Dhoni did things differently and employed methods which defied tradition. His field placing, choice of bowler use and tactics on field flummoxed many former cricketers who wielded the lip microphone during Test matches.

Where Dhoni was even more different was in his care-a-damn-style of leadership. From beyond the boundary, it always appeared he cared two hoots about what the rest of the world was thinking. Whether he was winning matches or losing matches, his methodology was to remain inert to criticism.

As one who built the Test side and also had the illustrious Sachin Tendulkar play under him, Dhoni used some tactics which can never be forgotten. His bowling changes were daring and when he made Ishant Sharma hurl those bouncers at the English batsmen in Lord's this summer, it earned India a memorable win.

Almost a year back, at the same time, Sachin Tendulkar had made a pomp and show of his retirement plan. The BCCI brought the pathetic West Indies over for a two-Test series and whipped them. Sachin hysteria went through the roof at the Eden Gardens and Wankhede Stadium.

Having seen all that drama, Dhoni must have realised retirement is something which can be done in a quiet, personal manner. Dhoni leaves many tongues wagging at the moment. Why could he not have waited till the fourth Test in Sydney? Why was he in such a hurry to get going?

Or was it that he felt relieved to have even seen India draw an away Test in a long time? Dhoni may not answer all this as he plans to continue in ODIs and the shorter T20 format. For the record, he played 90 Tests where India won 27 matches, lost 18 and drew 15.

If you believe in statistics, you can draw your own inferences whether he was a percentage captain or someone who believed in safety margins. From the long mane to short hair with grey beard, we have seen all shades of Dhoni. For sure, his unconventional leadership style cannot be imitated.

Goodbye and good luck MSD.