Indian batsman KL Rahul was left heartbroken after the retirement announcement made by former Indian skipper MS Dhoni last week. Rahul, echoing the emotions of all the players who played under the veteran wicketkeeper-batsman, wants to give a big and emotional sendoff to Dhoni while hoping to play with him just one more time.
Dhoni announced his retirement on Saturday through an Instagram post, drawing curtains on his illustrious 16-year-long career. Tributes poured in following the big revelation and Rahul too had joined the bandwagon.
"It was quite shocking. I was honestly heartbroken. I'm sure all of us in the team or whoever has played under him and with him would have wanted to give him a big send-off and wanted him to play one more time so we could have had that opportunity to do something special for him. It is what it is," Rahul was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.
"He has been someone who has guided us all really, really well. And who has never expected us to change who we are? He has let us go out there and express ourselves and make our mistakes and learn from them. He has just let us be.
"If we were ever in doubt, or if we wanted to look to somebody for answers, he was always there. He knew when to push the players.
"Words fall short, man. Even the other day when I was trying [to write on Dhoni retiring] on Instagram or Twitter... I mean, what do you say about somebody like that? You don't have enough to say about how much he has done and how many lives he has changed and for how many people he is an inspiration - not just on the field but off the field [as well] with the things he has achieved. It is phenomenal," Rahul added.
When asked about his role model, Rahul replied saying, "It has always been MS Dhoni. I'm grateful that I've had the honour of playing under him and with him."
Dhoni will next be seen in the impending IPL 2020 which begins in the UAE starting Sepetember 19.
