Dear MS Dhoni, I know the day is coming!

MS Dhoni's IPL retirement is one of the hottest topics of 2023 and in this article today, we capture the true essence as to why Dhoni's eventual departure is such a big deal.

Cricket in India is no less than a religion. Players are often elevated to godly statures that transpire anything mortal in sight. But even then, once in a while, a player graces a cricket field where even these pedestals, no matter how enormous, look minuscule.

MS Dhoni is the name. Maahi, as everyone likes to call him, has gone above and beyond any set of traditional notions. Who would have thought that a single run to bring a player on strike could make the crowd go insane? Who would have thought that a single six would get replayed more times than a fifty from any other player? But hey, who would have thought Maahi would, one day, play his last IPL match?

Make no mistake about it - MS Dhoni isn't going anywhere. At least, not yet. But the realisation of this impending doom is clear than ever before. Here is an open letter to the man, MS Dhoni who gave us everything he possibly could. Fasten your seatbelts, this ride might be a little bumpy.

Dear MS Dhoni,

I know the day is coming, but it pains my heart to think that you wouldn't be there to finish things off when CSK would be requiring 15-odd runs in the final over.

I know the day is coming, but it pains my heart to think that the show will obviously go on, but the excitement to watch the game till the last ball of the last over, won't be the same again. Ever.

I know the day is coming, but it pains my heart to think that once you connect with all your might, we won't be able to witness the deafening roar of the crowd that could turn Eden Gadens, Wankhede, Ekana, Chinnaswamy into Chidambaram stadium.

I know the day is coming, but it pains my heart to think that hidden between the sadness of a CSK collapse, there wouldn't be the all-important happiness of seeing MS Dhoni walk out to bat.

Your legacy will never be defined by numbers. Although, there is no dearth of it either. Most victories as captain, most runs in death overs, most dismissals as a wicket-keeper, you have all these records, but hey, they never did, and will never be the ones to define you.

Your legacy will be defined by how you passed no controversial statement when you were removed from the captaincy of Rising Pune Supergiants and played under Steve Smith. It will be defined by how you backed Shane Watson when even Watson wouldn't have trusted himself. It will be defined by how you came back in 2018 and riled up the Men in Yellow to another title.

You may hang your boots today, tomorrow, the day after it or in the next season or the season after it, one thing is crystal clear. Indian and world cricket for that matter will not get another man like you.

After all, not everyone can change the game from behind the stumps. Not everyone can catch the imagination of billions with just a single hit. Not everyone can win everything there is, and not everyone can rise above it to carve a legacy beyond titles and accolades.

A true fan,Kartik Mehindru