Despite his dedication and commitment to the team leading India to a monumental series and tournament win, Dhoni faced criticism many times. India’s performance in the 2019 ICC World Cup was heavily scrutinized, with many blaming the team management for their decisions to send inexperienced players and Dhoni’s underwhelming performances throughout the tournament. This ultimately resulted in the Men in Blue bowing out of the tournament and Dhoni’s retirement being called for on social media.
Here we look at 5 most difficult moments of Dhoni’s career:
5) The outcome of the 2007 World Cup
Following a disappointing campaign at the 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup, the Indian team faced significant backlash. In response to their performance, fans proceeded to vandalize the homes of the Indian cricketers and burn effigies of them. This included the home of Dhoni, who was just a youngster in the team at that time. Political activists of JMM (Jharkhand Mukti Morcha) also stone-pelted his house. The country was filled with outrage and protests, making it one of the darkest days in the history of Indian cricket. To ensure the safety of Dhoni and his family, a security team was placed around his house.
Five months later, an Indian team led by the same Dhoni turned the tables with a stunning win at the inaugural ICC T20 World Cup held in South Africa.
4) The CB series in Australia, 2012
During the CB series, India’s captain Dhoni met with veterans Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, and Gautam Gambhir. These three players, aged between 33 and 39, were scrutinized for their slow fielding and lack of fitness. Dhoni was unable to play all of them together due to fielding concerns. All three eventually played in the tournament, with Gambhir being the second-highest run-getter after Virat Kohli. This sparked rumors of a rift between Dhoni and the senior players, and the media and fans heavily criticized the captain. India was knocked out of the series as the final was played between Sri Lanka and Australia. Many felt Dhoni’s selection of players was one of the main reasons for India’s disappointing performance.
3) IPL spot-fixing scandal
In 2013, the Delhi police took action against S Sreesanth, Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan for spot-fixing. This scandal rapidly spiraled downwards when the Mumbai Police arrested Chennai Super Kings team principal Gurunath Meiyappan for betting, conspiracy and cheating. Despite speculations that MS Dhoni and the Chennai Super Kings management are involved, no evidence was ever found. This led to the Supreme Court-appointed RM Lodha committee banning the team from the IPL for two years.
2) The conflict of interest
In 2015, the BCCI launched an investigation into MS Dhoni’s possible connection to Rhiti Sports Management, which was suspected he owned 15% of. This management firm was responsible for managing the interests of Dhoni and other CSK players like Suresh Raina and Ravindra Jadeja. The news of Dhoni having a stake in the company did not sit well with many former cricketers. Rhiti Sports Management eventually ended this controversy by stating that Dhoni had previously owned shares in the company, but all of them had been divested before the dispute.
1) The outcome of the 2019 ODI World Cup
After India’s loss in the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup semi-finals, many fans and media outlets responded by showing farewell montages to Dhoni, even before he had announced that he was retiring. Despite this, many prominent celebrities and cricketers gave words of support. Furthermore, mistakes were made by both the Indian cricket team and its management, such as not sending Dhoni up to bat when the team was already down three wickets. Ultimately, Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja put on a great partnership, but it was not enough, as the Indian team fell short by a few runs.
