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Mahendra Singh Dhoni (Source: X)
When the 23-year-old Mahendra Singh Dhoni got selected to represent India on an international level, he had no clue about what the future had in store for him. However, he had the urge in him to do something big for himself and his country. From 2004 to 2020, the journey wasn't easy, but it gave Dhoni a new identity, 'Captain Cool'.
He never knew he would captain India in the T20 World Cup 2007 and win the trophy, but when he got the opportunity, he ceased it. That was the spirit he carried throughout his career, and on August 15, 2020, he decided to leave everything behind, everything he had earned in 16 years, and retire from international cricket.
Dhoni bidding adieu to cricket was the hardest pill for Indian fans to swallow since he had shaped the Indian Cricket Team and left it for Virat Kohli to continue the legacy. Dhoni was India's most successful captain because he won three ICC trophies, which no other captain has done so far.
If we add franchise cricket, he has won five trophies for Chennai Super Kings (CSK), and all of them together have come because of his talented mind. He is still undoubtedly the smartest player in cricket history, and he did some unbelievable stuff to help his team win games. That's the reason why people still remember him and his post, "From 1929 hrs consider me as Retired".
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Suresh Raina's epic display of friendship
After MS Dhoni, Suresh Raina also announced his retirement on the same day. As per Raina, Dhoni was his best friend and was like a big brother to whom he used to look up. On the 73rd Independence Day, the players with jersey numbers 7 and 3 retired to mark the day.
It was an emotional day for the Chennai Super Kings fans to watch their Thala and Chinna Thala retire from international cricket. However, Dhoni is still a part of IPL, unlike Raina, who went unsold after 2021 and couldn't take part in the IPL. Both the players have achieved a lot in their careers and will have no regrets before retiring.