Dubai: A terse statement, barely three paragraphs, from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) late on Wednesday must have set pulses racing in India’s cricket fraternity.

“Mahendra Singh Dhoni has informed the BCCI [Board of Control for Cricket in India] that he wishes to step down as the captain of the Indian Cricket Team from the One Day Internationals and the T20 Internationals formats of the game,” a statement by BCCI said.

Dhoni would, however, be available for selection against England as the senior selection committee meets to decide the squad on Thursday.

Till the time of going to press, ‘Captain Cool’ was yet to offer any statement — but then it’s so typical of the man. Time and again, Dhoni has shown a penchant for catching the media on the wrong foot — be it his marriage, or stepping aside from Test cricket in 2014. It is no different this time around.

End of an era

While MSD the cricketer will continue to flourish in the shorter format of the game for some time, the New Year has certainly signalled the end of an era in Indian cricket.

Move over Dhoni, it’s time for King Kohli to take charge in all formats of the game.

The clamour for Dhoni’s removal from captaincy has been growing for some time. Critics had recently questioned his leadership skills and said it was time Virat Kohli took over in all the formats.

During his tenure, former team director Ravi Shastri had also said a few times that appointing Kohli as skipper in all three formats was in the best interest of Indian cricket.

“You have to see where India is going to go three years down the line. There are no major events in three years, when you are back with the World Cups. So, this is your best time to think and build. By no stretch of imagination are you taking anything away from Dhoni. He can still contribute massively as a player. I think the time has come for Dhoni to enjoy himself and enjoy the game.

“End of the day, it is about how hungry Dhoni is, how passionate he is. Also, the time has come when you have a guy whom you have groomed over a period of time. Kohli is ready,” Shastri had said.

Social media predictably went into overdrive following the announcement. Anurag Thakur, the recently ousted president of the BCCI, led the tributes on Twitter. “Hey @msdhoni yuv been one of the finest leaders of Indian Cricket @BCCI, led the team to great heights & inspired so many across countries!” he wrote.

Commentator Harsha Bhogle tweeted: “World T20, World Cup, Champions Trophy, Test No 1, IPL titles, Champions League titles. Everything in the game. #Dhoni.”

As skipper of the limited overs side, Dhoni took India to victory in the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa. His finest hour came four years later when the team won the ODI World Cup against Sri Lanka on home turf.

However, Dhoni’s position came under scrutiny after India lost last year’s T20 World Cup semi-final despite being favourites as tournament hosts.

The biopic titled M.S.Dhoni: The Untold Story was a runaway hit last year. The cricket fan will be keen to know the untold story behind the current surprise sprung by one of the most enigmatic heroes of modern cricket.

— With inputs from agencies

Dhoni’s record as captain

Format Mts W L Tie D/Nr %win From to

In Tests 60 27 18 0 15 45.00 11-4-2008 30-12-2014

In ODIs 199 110 74 4 11 55.28 29-9-2007 29-10-2016

In T20Is 72 42 28 0 2 58.33 13-9-2007 28-8-2016

Total 331 179 120 4 28 54.07