MS Dhoni retires from international cricket

Two-time World Cup-winning former India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni retired from international cricket on Saturday, ending over one year of suspense and also an era during which his often unorthodox leadership and finishing skills became the stuff of legends.

"Thanks a lot for ur love and support throughout. from 1929hrs consider me as retired," Dhoni posted on his instagram handle.

The announcement came a day after he joined his Chennai Super kings teammates in Chennai ahead ahead of this year's IPL in the UAE.

The 39-year-old's last outing in India colours was during the lost World Cup semifinal against New Zealand.

One of the best runners between the wickets was run out following a hard-earned 50 in that tense game, shattering Indian hopes and leaving him in a state of disbelief.

The reticent man from Ranchi will, however, go down as one of the finest to have played the game for India, turning up for the country in a whopping 350 ODIs, 90 Tests and 98 T20 Internationals.

The last leg of his career was, however, marred by a drop in form, prompting several critics to question his resolve to continue.

But he nevertheless signs off as an ODI legend with 10,773 runs, averaging more than 50 despite batting between No.5 and 7 for a major chunk of his career.

In the Test format, Dhoni accumulated 4876 runs at an average of 38.09 and led India to more wins (27) than anyone else before him.