MSD magic mesmerises Mumbai

The spectators grew impatient with every attacking shot that Shikhar Dhawan followed by Ambati Rayudu and Yuvraj Singh played. After walking out for the toss with England skipper Eoin Morgan at 1pm on Tuesday – for the record, Dhoni lost the toss in his final game as a captain of an Indian team – the thousands of spectators who were given free admission for the match had to wait till 4.19pm before getting to see him on the field again.

About half an hour into the game, as Shikhar Dhawan was finding his feet with a well-hooked six off Chris Woakes over long-leg, as young Mandeep Singh was bowled through bat and pad by left-arm quick David Willey, as No. 3 Ambati Rayudu joined the left-handed dashing Delhi opener, the crowd swelled at the Brabourne Stadium.

The gates were opened in phases, first with the Eastern stands filling up and then the North followed by the Western stands. The crowd movement resembled the flow of water from one compartment to another in an ice-cube tray. As Mandeep was castled, the crowd who had assembled only to see one man in action wanted the World Cup winning skipper to take guard next.

Chants of 'Dhoni, Dhoni…' echoed the historic stadium, with the spectators hoping for Dhoni to walk out to bat. Instead, it was Rayudu.

One cannot recall a game with immense fanfare for a player leading the side in a 50-overs game for the final time. Just like how some of the recently-retired superstar cricketers did not get a farewell match at the international level, Dhoni's last match as India captain at the international stage passed off as just another game in which he led India to 3-2 series victory against New Zealand in Visakhapatnam on October 29 last year.

Dhoni did not bat at No. 4 either, as was expected. Dhoni's successor to captaincy, Virat Kohli, wants the senior player to bat higher up the order and enjoy his game. Dhoni chose not to do it in this practice game. Yuvraj Singh walked in at No. 4 amidst shouts of 'Dhoni, Dhoni…' growing louder after Dhawan edged Jake Ball to wicketkeeper Jos Buttler's gloves.

Doesn't Dhoni love to keep his fans guessing, and waiting?

The wait, though, was worth in gold. Dhoni walked in to bat with only nine overs remaining to join his old mate Yuvraj at 227/2. After pushing the first two deliveries from left-arm pacer David Willey on either side of the wicket, Dhoni did not take much time to settle down.

A pull to long leg off Willey and a drive through covers that was misfielded by Billings in the deep for successive boundaries were enough to send the crowd into a frenzy, prompting one fan to run up to the pitch and fall at Dhoni's feet as if to seek his blessings during a mid-pitch discussion with Hardik Pandya. He was then escorted out by Mumbai Police.

Another lap shot off his thigh to long leg, and a cut bisecting third man and deep backward point for fours showed that Dhoni was well and truly in his elements.

The crowd also got to see Dhoni's hare-like running between the wickets that he and Kohli are known to after he was joined by the young Sanju Samson after the fall of Yuvraj.

In the 46 minutes that Dhoni was at the crease, his power-packed shots were too fast for the English fielders. Dhoni entertained the crowd with a 40-ball unbeaten 68 with eight fours and two sixes to take India 'A' to 304/5 in 50 overs.

After Dhoni's entertaining knock, the crowd reduced to half by the time England began their run-chase, making it evident that the spectators came in large numbers for only one man.

Under lights, Dhoni was his usual self, donning the wicketkeeping gloves and shepherding his bowlers to restrict the Englishmen. That he could not guide his team to victory in his last game in command was only secondary.

This game was all about Dhoni. Or so it was made out as he was leading for one final time in India colours following his decision to relinquish ODI and T20I captaincy last Wednesday.

"Dhoni is the best guy to look after the youngsters. He is captain by nature and a leader from the front," was how chairman of selectors MSK Prasad put it while announcing Dhoni as the India 'A' captain.

He did lead from the front, as he has done since taking over the reins less than 10 years ago.

Dhoni's farewell as skipper may not have been an international game. But, it had all the ingredients of one. Well led, Dhoni.