New Delhi: Mahendra Singh Dhoni will be remembered for his contributions to Indian cricket and for the World Cups he brought for the country, said ex-cricketer Kirti Azad on Sunday, a day after former India captain announced his retirement from international cricket.
He added that when situations were tough on the field, Dhoni was never perturbed because of which he was called 'captain cool'.
"It's the end of an era. Dhoni made so much difference to the game. He was called Captain Cool. He never used to be perturbed during testing times on the field. He was a superb finisher. Dhoni will always be remembered for the World Cups that he won for the country," he said.
Comparing Dhoni with chess players, he added, "Just like chess players, who try to observe what their opponents are thinking and plan next two or three moves in advance, Dhoni had similar approach on the field. Opponents could not read his mind."
Like Sachin Tendulkar, Sunil Gavaskar, and other great players, Dhoni had a different class on the field, as per Azad.
Praising Dhoni further, he said one of his biggest qualities was that he used to encourage juniors which in turn fuelled their confidence.
"This benefitted players like Virat Kohli. Everyone knows where is Virat Kohli today. At one point, his performance was not that great. He himself had said he won't have been part of the team today if not for Dhoni who helped him and encouraged him," he said.
When asked about the criticism that Dhoni faced after last year's World Cup, he said, "In India, we have a winning spirit, but not sportsman spirit. You cannot win every game. When players win matches they are worshipped, but when they lose, tomatoes and eggs are thrown at them which is unfortunate. It's time we remember what Dhoni did for the country."
On Saturday, Dhoni announced his retirement from international cricket through an Instagram post.
