Q. Dhoni has suddenly announced his retirement, how do you see it?
Basit Ali (BA). Dhoni was not a seasonal cricketer, he was a great player, he ruled the whole world, so you see for yourself that his fans are going to be sad whether they are from India or Pakistan; it shows how big a player he was. It shows his stature.
Q. Danish, you have also played with Dhoni, how do you see his sudden retirement?
Danish Kaneria (DK): He is a legendary player, the most successful captain of India. Everyone is shocked by the news of his retirement. He was away from cricket for a year and a half, so it seems the planning was done in advance. I think if it was not Covid-19, we would have seen Dhoni playing T20 World Cup for India. I think such a great batsman deserves a good farewell and a dignified exit.
Q. I still remember, Danish, when Pakistan toured India in 2005, you were also in that team and Dhoni had scored a century. Tell us about the experience.
DK. At that time, he was a new player. Everyone was thinking in the team that how is this new boy going to play. Inzamam-ul-Haq himself was wondering. But when he came out on the field, he played brilliantly. I am glad I did not play that match. When I saw him playing personally, I knew that this is the future of the Indian cricket team.
Q. Basit, you have played under Imran Khan’s leadership, how do you see Dhoni’s captaincy?
BA. Imran Khan had a different status in our country because he had won the 1992 World Cup, which means he is different. Dhoni is seen similarly in India. He won the World Cup and numerous big tournaments during the span of his captaincy.
Q. Danish, I was just seeing that the fans in Pakistan are very sad about Dhoni’s retirement. Once Parvez Musharraf also praised him… What is the reason of his popularity in Pakistan?
DK. See, cricket is worshiped not only in India but all over the Asian subcontinent and when young players like Dhoni play, everyone wants to learn from them. Musharraf Saheb, by the way, praised his hair.
Q. You spoke about Dhoni’s smile, I would like to ask you how much tension did Dhoni’s smile gave to the Pakistani captains?
BA. You see, there was no tension. Let me tell you about the time of the Champions Trophy; at that time Sarfraz Ahmed was the captain and Dhoni took a picture with his son. Every fan was very happy to see that photo.
Q. Danish, did you also feel the same as Basit is telling about Dhoni? How is he as a human being?
DK. Yes, when I played with him, we used to meet him in the hotel and he used to meet us in the field. In fact, he was a gentleman and a complete captain. I have not seen such a captain in Pakistan, nor India, and neither anywhere in the whole world. He built the backbone of Indian cricket, he built a wonderful team.
Q. Basit, do you feel, apart from Imran Khan, Pakistan feels the absence of a player like Dhoni in their team?
BA. There is absolutely no doubt about that. India did not have any leader like Dhoni. Pakistan lacks such leadership in their side. However, I think once Babar Azam becomes the captain, things are going to improve.
Q. Being a cricketer, Danish, how did you foresee Dhoni’s career when he came to Pakistan and scored a century in Faislabad?
DK. It was one of the biggest centuries of his career because at that time he had to prove himself, he had pressure on him. He proved himself in that series. At that time, Pakistan’s bowling attack was also good. I believe Dhoni deserves a wonderful farewell from the cricketing world. He is a legend.