Bipin Dani
It has been a tradition now that the players of both teams shake hands after the completion of each match. However, the same custom was not properly followed in the “quarter final” match between the CSK and the RCB teams which eliminated the CSK from the ongoing IPL season.
It isn’t yet clear whether Dhoni has plans to play another IPL season next year, and in that respect, RCB players were slammed by certain former cricketers and experts over their failure to do the customary handshake with MS Dhoni. Many suggested that RCB players ‘over-celebrated’ their playoffs progression, prompting Dhoni to return to the dressing room without shaking hands. But, a video, contradicting the same, has emerged on social media.
HarshaBhogle, one of the most renowned Indian commentators in the game, wasn’t happy seeing RCB players being lost in their celebrations, forgetting to shake Dhoni’s hands.
“It doesn’t matter. You win a World Cup final, you display your emotions, but you still shake hands with the opposition. That handshake is symbolic of the fact that (two teams are saying) ‘now, our antagonism is over. We did not give an inch to each other. Now it’s over,’” said Bhogle.
According to me, the RCB team should have shaken hands with their opponent before celebrating. Most importantly, MSD is a strong character. He always respects others and would not have deliberately left the field without shaking hands with the RCB players”, Kajal Das, Dhoni’s childhood coach, speaking exclusively from Ranchi, said.
“Dhoni was under my guidance when he was in the U-19 special camp. I was the coach of the Jharkhand ranji team when he played for the Jharkhand team. I have known him well”, he further added.
According to India’s BBC commentator, PrakashWakankar, Dhoni did pause for a hand-shake before returning to the pavilion. “This is what I have seen on a video clip”, he says.
“It is not known when this practice of hand-shakes started but in olden days, it was always the home team captain and team members used to visit the visitor’s dressing room after the match and even the home team captain used to invite the visitors for lunch / dinner at home”.
“Perhaps a trivia, MSD waited for a while for the cursory shake of hands post match with the RCB team, and turned and went away, perhaps that says a lot”, SayanSen Gupta, an avid watcher and cricket fan, who has known Dhoni well for years, said.
“What was going on inside his head? He’s always an enigma! Perhaps, he was thinking of what he’s going to do next regarding his agricultural pursuit and as always thought that ‘let Team RCB bask in the glory; it is their moment of glory and hence let me stay away from the limelight’! His process stays, results are transient”.
“He’s certainly not thinking of the next season and he perhaps still has it in him. He hasn’t been hungry for hogging the limelight and he perhaps (depending upon his fitness) will choose to get retained as the lowest priced CSK player! The legend perhaps will be there next year! Nevertheless, his legacy will live forever!”, he signed off.
