Thank you, MS Dhoni! It is time for you to pass on the baton and play freely

It has been said about politics that: 'Good times don't last forever and the supporters of today will begin to raise the fingers tomorrow.’ It’s no different for cricket as well.

Dear Mahi,

There was a time when India were struggling to find a quality wicketkeeper batsman. India’s then skipper Sourav Ganguly had to ask one of his top batsmen, Rahul Dravid to take up the gloves. He did that job decently but we needed someone who would allow Dravid to resume his usual duties as batsman. India looked for an answer to Australia’s Adam Gilchrist and Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara, and even Brendon McCullum was making his mark for New Zealand.  Parthiv Patels and Dinesh Karthik were good but not good enough to compete against the names aforementioned.

Little did we know that it was going to be the same period which would herald your superstar entry to the international cricket. After an unfortunate start to your career with a run out for naught, you made up for it with an audacious 148 versus Pakistan at Vishakhapatnam. A few months later, the unbeaten 183 against Sri Lanka was out of the world.  The long hair became a trending topic as you climbed to the No.1 batting spot in ODIs. The craze was such that it won hearts even beyond the borders. Even Pervez Musharraf was forced to appreciate you!

You hardly looked back and the adulation you received was only next to Sachin Tendulkar’s. That mind boggling captaincy in the inaugural World T20, that six over deep mid on which set off the wild celebrations on the most beautiful night on April 2, 2011; that inspired bowling change in the Champions Trophy final of 2013, and many such amazing moments are etched in an Indian cricket fan’s heart forever.

It has been said about politics that: ‘Good times don’t last forever and the supporters of today will begin to raise the fingers tomorrow.’ It’s no different for cricket as well. Read more: MS Dhoni opens up on review of his leadership

The memories make good for frames but many goods that you have done have faded in many minds. The mighty peaks you have conquered don’t count now. For someone who has followed your career from day one, it hurts to see that you are the one who gets addressed more often as the losing captain at the post match presentation. Unfortunately, the Midas touch seems long gone. But the fighter in you prevails. You gave us the glimpses of that once again yesterday in a crucial encounter against Australia where you tried out of your skin to help India bounce back in the series.

That flash-as-a-blink stumping to send Bailey back, that clever acting to get Mitchell Marsh run out and all this after you had come out to bat and blasted like the old long haired Dhoni once did.

But fans have begun to realise it deep down that, Dhoni, the skipper has exhausted and it appears you are just carrying yourself too long and there is a fear that you might do more harm to your reputation which you just doesn’t deserve.

Virat Kohli looks more than ready to take on the captaincy and a new captain is what we need to infuse a sense of freshness in the team just like you did in 2007 after Rahul Dravid and later when Anil Kumble had passed on the mantle.

More than ever before, we need you as the wicketkeeper-batsman, who can be a match winner on any day if he plays. Play without the pressure of captaining the side and make most of the remaining games of your career. Read more: MS Dhoni opens up on review of his leadership

You don’t deserve to be blame singlehandedly, pass on the baton to Kohli now and guide a new team as long your legs are fresh and India will be better served. Many fear that you will retire suddenly like you did from Test cricket and that’s not what we need in shorter formats. Please stay on as a player, Mahi.

The end of the ICC World T20 2016 at home is the right arena. Hope you once again lift the trophy. Irrespective of the result there, please pass on the baton and pass it gracefully.

 – A dejected Indian fan

[Devashish Palkar, an MBBS student, A sports afficionado, news addict and a patient of OCSD ( Obsessive Compulsive Satirical Disorder)].