Sir — On August 15, the former captain of the Indian team, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, took fans by surprise when he announced his retirement from international cricket (“Dhoni stumps all, goes with a song”, Aug 16). After Kapil Dev, it was Dhoni who gave India the World Cup after a drought of 28 years. His rise from being a railway ticket collector in Jharkhand to becoming the poster boy of Indian cricket may sound like a fairy tale but it was his hard work, dedication and perseverance that took him to such heights of success. He is the first and only Indian captain to have won the T20 World Cup, the ICC Cricket World Cup as well as the ICC Champions Trophy.

Dhoni was an excellent player — he patented the helicopter shot — and had on many occasions changed the outcome of the game at the last moment. Under his captaincy, the team became a formidable force in international cricket. If Sourav Ganguly had iconic players like Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Virender Sehwag on his team, Dhoni had an equally formidable arsenal comprising Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Suresh Raina. Dhoni’s feats on the cricket field will continue to inspire generations to come.

Aditya Mukherjee,
Calcutta

Sir — Not unlike the time he threw everyone by announcing his retirement from Test cricket on the evening of December 30, 2014, in Melbourne — the Board of Control for Cricket in India simply declared it through a press release — M.S. Dhoni has brought down the curtain on his international career on India’s 74th Independence Day through a simple post on social media. Coming after nearly 400 days since he played his last match for India, Dhoni’s departure caused people around the world to lament the end of an era in cricket.

This young man from Ranchi, who made his one-day international debut in 2004, changed the face of Indian cricket with his calm demeanour, sharp understanding of the game and astute leadership qualities. Under his stewardship, India won the T20 World Cup in 2007, the Cricket World Cup in 2011 on home ground, which he spectacularly clinched with a sixer, and the Champions Trophy in 2013. He has been honoured with the Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan and in 2011 he was awarded the rank of lieutenant-colonel in the Indian army. He leaves behind an incredible group of young players and will be remembered as one of India’s greatest sporting icons.

S.S. Paul,
Nadia

Sir — M.S. Dhoni is not only a great sportsman but is also known for his leadership skills and his calm demeanour in the face of insurmountable odds; this earned him the moniker, “Captain Cool”. Much like Sourav Ganguly — he captained the first international match that Dhoni played — Dhoni, too, had an eye for talent. He motivated young team members with his extraordinary performances on the field and showed them how success can be achieved with dedication, discipline and hard work. In spite of his fame, he continued to be a humble individual throughout his cricketing career. We wish him the very best for his journey ahead.

Nili Ghosh,
Calcutta

Sir — The occasion of M.S. Dhoni’s retirement is a good time to thank the former Indian skipper for adding many memorable chapters to Indian cricket. Dhoni was a finisher and will be remembered as the mascot of “Middle India”. As young students, we watched an Indian team led by Dhoni win the 2011 World Cup. There was a frenzied admiration for Dhoni, especially his unique helicopter shot. His composure on the field was remarkable. His talent truly changed the game and led many people to fall in love with the game.

Manzar Imam,
Purnea, Bihar

Sir — It was not a surprise that M.S. Dhoni, who has always been humble both on and off the field, would choose to announce his retirement from international cricket on Instagram with a few chosen words. The lack of fanfare sets him apart from others who would have taken this opportunity to draw the limelight. Dhoni’s fearlessness on the field, his excellent cricketing skills and the Indian team’s victory at the 2011 World Cup under his captaincy will always be some of the defining moments in the history of Indian cricket.

Ranganathan Sivakumar,
Chennai

Sir — A golden era of Indian cricket has come to an end with the retirement of M.S. Dhoni. Recently, while commentating for the match between England and Pakistan at Trent Bridge, the English commentator, Ian Ward, spoke about Dhoni with his colleagues, Nasser Hussain, Shane Warne, Michael Atherton and Wasim Akram. They showered praises on him, talking about his calm head and cricketing skills. Warne even went so far as to say that he was the best wicketkeeper-batsman of all time, comparing him with Ian Healy.

Dhoni’s ODI average is above 50; this in spite of the fact that he came out to bat lower down the order. This speaks volumes about his power hitting. Everyone praised Dhoni for his temperament and counted on him to take India over the line at the last moment. Dhoni will be remembered as a true gentleman and the perfect brand ambassador for aspirational India.

M.N. Gupta,
Bokaro, Jharkhand

Out of control

Sir — While countries like Indonesia are expecting a baby boom with more people staying at home, others like Australia are facing a demographic downturn as people are unwilling to have children during the pandemic. But this is not as simple as it seems. Women in poorer nations have little control over their body; this crisis is exacerbated by the lack of access to medical facilities owing to Covid-19. Moreover, at a time when many people are unemployed, it is unlikely parents would be able to provide for unplanned children, leaving them vulnerable to malnutrition, neglect and abuse.

Srestha Ray,
Calcutta