Revealed: How MS Dhoni Was Asked To Hand The Captaincy Baton To Virat Kohli

Jatin Paranjape revealed how he and MSK Prasad informed MS Dhoni that it was time to step down from white-ball captaincy.

Former India batter Jatin Paranjape has opened up about the conversation that led to MS Dhoni stepping down as India’s white-ball captain. Paranjape said he and then chief selector MSK Prasad spoke to Dhoni respectfully and informed him that it was the right time to move on, adding that Dhoni agreed to support the team under new captain Virat Kohli.

MS Dhoni remains the only captain to have won all three major ICC trophies during his era. He had already retired from Test cricket two years earlier and had focused fully on ODIs and T20Is. He led India with commitment at the 2015 World Cup and the 2016 World T20, though the team fell short in the semi-finals on both occasions.

The Transition From MS Dhoni To Kohli

With another World Cup scheduled in England and the transition process already underway, Kohli was waiting in the wings. Just four days into the new year, the announcement came that India’s most successful captain would step aside, marking the end of a remarkable 10-year chapter and the beginning of a new era.

Paranjape recalled the key moment during a conversation on The Great Indian Cricket Show. “Mahi was batting. He kept batting for an hour and MSK and I were looking at each other. We had prepared how to tell him most respectfully. So we went to him and said, ‘You know, Mahi, I think it is the right time to move on,’ Paranjape said while speaking on The Great Indian Cricket Show.

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“So, he (Dhoni) told MSK, ‘Anna, this is the perfect decision. Let me know what you want from me.’ MSK told him that he will have to put it in writing that you are ready to move on,” Paranjape added.

Dhoni Confirms Stepping Down

Dhoni’s decision cleared the path for Kohli to take full charge of the limited-overs sides. Already India’s Test captain, Kohli had guided the team to strong performances in the longest format and later led India at the 2019 World Cup in England, with Dhoni still part of the squad.

Paranjape also revealed how Dhoni formally confirmed his decision. “He (Dhoni) said, ‘Alright, I will do it.’ Late at night, we received an email: ‘I would like to step down’. We had to make this decision. We were criticised for it as well, but these are the tough decisions that you have to take,” Paranjape concluded.