3 Indian players who are likely to retire after the World Cup

The early 2000s; the period which lies close to the hearts of every 90s kid. Who can forget Hayden scoring 380 and Lara toppling it the very next year; Akhtar becoming the first man on the planet to breach the100 mile mark; Tendulkar getting out on 98 against Pakistan in the 2003 World Cup and many, many, more everlasting memories. What wouldn’t we give to re-live those heart-etched memories! But everything must bow down to the law of nature.

These 3 superstars who debuted in the early 2000s are also no exception to this. These players have seen better times and they belong to a rare breed of cricketers from the early 2000s who still haven’t hung their boots.

#3 Yuvraj Singh

Yuvraj is currently nowhere under the selectors' radar

The swashbuckling southpaw has, arguably the cleanest bat-swing in the history of the game. He terrorized batsmen in his heydays and hit sixes when he was bored. Mohammad Kaif and Yuvraj’s partnership on the field was a benchmark for all other Indians back then. He also turned out to be a big-match player for India, having almost single-handedly won the 2007 World T20 and the 2011 World Cup. Then cancer hit him. He couldn’t regain his touch ever since and had been patchy in his comebacks.

This year almost seemed like a nail in the coffin, when he was consistently overlooked even in the Kings XI squad. The man who hit six sixes in an over could hardly put bat to ball. Hand-eye coordination abandoned him and his bat-swing was no more silky-smooth.

It was a surprise when Yuvraj remained silent after the World T20 when every other soul on the planet expected his retirement speech. Maybe the six-machine had the 2019 World Cup in mind, which was a debatable choice considering his absence under the selectors’ radar these days.

#2 Harbhajan Singh

Harbhajan was India's premier spinner for a decade

Harbhajan, India’s fancied spinner wreaked havoc even on docile pitches. He popularised the ‘doosra’ and it was a joy to see the batsmen come down to it, only to miss it and get stumped. A staggering 417 wickets in Tests and 269 wickets in ODIs tells his longevity as well as his adaptability. From 2012, Bhajji lost the limelight to a certain Ravichandran Ashwin, and since then his place in the squad has been touch and go.

The Turbanator’s stint with the Mumbai Indians worked in his favor. As he kept dishing out impressive performances for them, he always had the selectors' attention and was drafted into the Indian squad as a backup or replacement on many occasions.

This year he had an average season with the Chennai Super Kings and when a player who hasn’t retired, is part of the commentary team for his own country’s matches, it is usually not a good sign for his playing career.

#1 MS Dhoni

Dhoni has been facing criticisms for a while now

Dhoni took the entire Indian country by storm when he bludgeoned 148 runs against Pakistan. Not many then knew he was captain in the making. Dhoni metamorphosed into Midas when everything he touched turned into gold. Soon he was the captain of the Indian team in all 3 formats.

He won the 20007 World T20, CB series in Australia, 2011 World Cup, 2013 Champions Trophy, and his tenure also saw the Indian Test team climb to the top of the rankings. His batting stature grew exponentially. Not many are titled ‘the world’s best finisher’ and are at the top of the batsmen’s ranking at the same time.

2014 and 2017 saw Mahi stepping down as captain from Tests and limited-overs respectively. His form saw a slump and Dhoni couldn’t finish matches like before. There was pressure from all quarters but the management had unwavering faith in the number seven batsman. The 2018 IPL saw the return of the Chennai Super Kings, and Dhoni’s lost form. He started finishing matches again and ultimately lifted the title with CSK.

A year ago, Dhoni’s presence in the 2019 World Cup seemed a long shot, but now his inclusion is almost certain. But with Rishabh Pant performing the way he is, and the cry of Dhoni’s retirement growing louder by the day, Captain Marvel might very well call it quits after the World Cup.