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Jatin Paranjape shares how he and MSK Prasad advised MS Dhoni to step down, resulting in Virat Kohli’s leadership.
Indian cricket legends MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli (PTI)
Former India batter Jatin Paranjape has revealed how he and MSK Prasad communicated with MS Dhoni to inform him when the proper time was to step down from white-ball captaincy, adding how the latter pledged to assist the team grow alongside recent captain Virat Kohli.
Dhoni was the one skipper to have won all three major ICC trophies of his time, ticking every box there was to tick. Having already retired from Tests two years earlier, he had channelled his energies into ODIs and T20Is.
Dhoni led India with unwavering commitment on the 2015 World Cup and the 2016 World T20, but India fell short within the semi-finals on each occasions.
With one other World Cup looming in England, the “process”, a term Dhoni often used, was already underway. Kohli was waiting within the wings when, just 4 days into the brand new yr, the announcement arrived: India’s most successful skipper would step aside.
An excellent 10-year chapter had come to an end, ushering within the Kohli era.
“Mahi was batting. He kept batting for an hour and MSK and I were taking a look at one another. We had prepared how one can tell him most respectfully. So we went to him and said, ‘You already know, Mahi, I feel it’s the proper time to maneuver on,’ Paranjape said while speaking on The Great Indian Cricket Show.
“So, he (Dhoni) told MSK, ‘Anna, that is the right decision. Let me know what you would like from me.’ MSK told him that he may have to place it in writing that you just are able to move on,” Paranjape added.
Dhoni’s decision to step aside paved the way in which for Kohli to assume full captaincy. Already India’s Test skipper, the latter had taken the team to recent heights within the longest format and, with Dhoni still around, would go on to guide India on the 2019 World Cup in England.
“He (Dhoni) said, ‘Alright, I’ll do it.’ Late at night, we received an email: ‘I would really like to step down’. We needed to make this decision. We were criticised for it as well, but these are the tough decisions that you could have to take,” Paranjape said.
February 14, 2026, 08:24 IST
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