I keep telling myself, ‘MS Dhoni, you should have dived, Mahi on his run out in 2019 WC Semis

XtraTime Web Desk: The whole nation was on its feet when former India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni was in the middle during the semifinal of 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup. Men in Blue nedded 31 runs in two overs to beat New Zealand. Dhoni was on strike at that moment and he started the over with a huge six. The nation started believing that the best finisher of the world will finish the game. The second ball was a dot and the pressure was building on MSD. And in the third ball it was a heartbreak for India.

Dhoni hit the ball towards Martin Guptill and backed himself to take two runs. But some fantastic fielding by Guptill ensured that Dhoni couldn’t take the second run successfully. Guptill’s fantastic throw hit the stumps and with that came the end of India’s fantastic run at the World Cup.

Dhoni himself was stunned at this dismissal and walked towards the pavilion dejected and with the feeling that he let down an entire nation. He still feels the pain of that loss. Talking to India Today’s Boria Majumdar, Dhoni said, “I keep telling myself, why didn’t I dive. Those two inches I keep telling myself, ‘MS Dhoni, you should have dived.”

After the defeat, Dhoni hasn’t played a game for India and his future has been a subject of intense speculation. In a recent interview, head coach Ravi Shastri said Dhoni may soon end his ODI career but could be in contention for a T20 World Cup berth provided he is in good form.

On Saturday, Sunil Gavaskar questioned M S Dhoni’s sabbatical from the game since the World Cup semifinal loss in July, asking “does anybody keep himself away from playing for India for that long?”