MS Dhoni reminisces Sourav Ganguly moment in his Farewell Test, unsure if Dada liked his unplanned gesture

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Chennai Super Kings star and former India captain MS Dhoni shared an anecdote recently which dates back 16 years.

In the month of October in 2008, a gladiator of Indian cricket hung his boots. Sourav Ganguly, the pioneer of Indian cricket's revolution, took retirement from international cricket.

In the final Test in Nagpur, then India captain Dhoni showed a special gesture on Ganguly's final afternoon as an India player. During the Australian 2nd innings, Dhoni reinstated Sourav Ganguly as captain for a brief period. During a recent promotional event, Dhoni delved into the past to recount the decision that saw him relinquishing the captaincy to Ganguly in the final session of Ganguly's farewell Test match.

Dhoni, who made his India debut under Ganguly's captaincy, has always held a massive respect. Dhoni's decision was driven by a desire to provide a fitting farewell to one of India's most revered captains.

"Being one of the greatest captains that India has ever produced, what better farewell can you give from your side?" Dhoni said at an event.

He further elaborated that allowing Ganguly to lead on the field during the last day of his career, even if briefly, was a meaningful way to bid adieu. "Last day (of his career), he is standing on a Test match field, playing the game. If he can say 'goodbye' leading for a while, then why not? It doesn't really change the result of the game. That was the reason behind it," the CSK star continued.

However, Dhoni was uncertain if Ganguly fully appreciated the gesture, acknowledging that it was not premeditated and his decision was spontaneous.

"I don't know whether he enjoyed it or not because it came all of a sudden. It wasn't planned, like 'this is what you should do.' I thought this was the best way for him to say farewell, leading on the field. Even if it is for 15-20 minutes, why not?" Dhoni added.

India won that Test series 2-0 and Ganguly also scored a century in that series, whereas Dhoni was adjudged the player of the series.

Speaking of Dhoni now, the veteran is set to extend his journey in the IPL. Chennai Super Kings are set to retain the veteran in their team for a fee of Rs 4 crore and the 43-year-old is likely to showcase his might in Yellow at least for another year.