MS Dhoni retired from test cricket

 Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Team India's skipper, has retired from Test cricket with immediate effect following the third Test match against Australia which resulted in a draw at MCG.

MS Dhoni made his test debut in 2005 against Sri Lanka at Chennai, as a wicket keeper batsmen. he scored 30 runs in the first innings and the match was drawn due to bad whether.

Dhoni made his debut as full-time Test captain of India during the fourth and final Test against Australia at Nagpur in November 2008 replacing Anil Kumble who was injured in the third test and who then announced his retirement.

Having played 90 Tests and scored 4876 runs for India with batting averaging 38.09, Dhoni made 6 centuries and 33 half centuries with highest score of 224.

Dhoni is statistically India's most successful wicket-keeper batsman of all time. He also effected 294 dismissals as a 'keeper which is comfortably the most by an Indian and 5th best in the history of Test cricket. 

For a major part of his Test career, 60 Tests to be precise, Dhoni also shouldered the burden of leading the side. He is also India's most successful Test captain with 27 wins. India drew 15 games while losing 18 Tests under him.

Captaincy Record in Test Matches
Venue		Matches	Won	Lost		Draw
At Home Venues		30	21	3		6
At Away Venues		30	6	15		9
TOTAL		60	27	18		15

While he continued the tradition of India being powerhouses at home, his captaincy record overseas went on a downturn from 2011. Of the 30 Tests that India played overseas under Dhoni, they won only 6 while losing 15. However, he has also led India to a series win in New Zealand and West Indies. India also moved to the No. 1 spot in the ICC Test rankings in Dhoni's tenure.

There had been increasing pressure on Dhoni as a captain in Tests overseas particularly after Virat Kohli's impressive showing as skipper in the Adelaide Test. Dhoni had earlier indicated that he would be stepping away from one of the formats post the 2015 World Cup. With the series already decided in Melbourne, it may well have influenced his decision to retire with immediate effect.

Dhoni, under whom India had become the world's number 1 Test side, wants to concentrate on the shorter format of the game and said that the strain of playing all the three formats was getting to him.

Virat Kohli, who captained India in the first Test match will be leading the side in the final match as well, starting from January 6 at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Thanks MSD for all your contribution in test cricket.

All the best for other formats of the Game.