Sipu Jha
The captaincy handover from Rohit Sharma to Shubman Gill in 2025 sparked plenty of debate in Indian cricket. Nearly eight years earlier, a similar shift had taken place when MS Dhoni made way for Virat Kohli as India’s full-time captain across formats in 2017.Dhoni had already stepped down as Test captain in 2014, but 2017 marked the complete transition. It has now come to light that the move was initiated by the Board of Control for Cricket in India selection committee, who informed Dhoni of their intention to make a change. He was also asked to formally communicate his decision via email.
Former selector Jatin Paranjpe, speaking on The Great Indian Cricket Show, recalled how he and then chief selector MSK Prasad approached Dhoni about the matter.“Mahi (Dhoni) was batting. He kept batting for an hour, and MSK and I were just looking at each other. We had prepared how to tell him in the most respectful way. So we went to him and said, ‘You know, Mahi, I think it’s the right time to move on’,” Paranjpe said.According to Paranjpe, Dhoni accepted the proposal without resistance.“He told MSK, ‘Anna, this is the perfect decision. Let me know what you want from me’. MSK told him that he will have to put it in writing that you are ready to move on. He said, ‘Alright, I will do it’.”“Late at night, we received an email: ‘I would like to step down’. We had to make this decision. We were criticised for it as well, but these are the tough decisions that you have to take,” he added.Paranjpe further revealed that Dhoni assured complete support to Kohli.“He also said, ‘Don’t worry. I will work completely with Virat. He is like my brother. I will do everything that is required of me for him. Whatever experience I have, I will give it to him. And we’ll make a good team’,” Paranjpe shared.At the time, Dhoni was 35 and had already achieved everything in white-ball cricket, guiding India to the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007, the ODI World Cup in 2011 and the Champions Trophy in 2013.
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