MS Dhoni refuses to discuss shock Test retirement

MS Dhoni, centre, called time on his Test career in December, shocking the cricket world. Ian Kington / AFP

Mahendra Singh Dhoni would not elaborate Thursday about his sudden retirement from Test cricket, ahead of leading India in the one-day international tri-series against Australia and England.

The 33-year-old stunned the cricket world -- and a completely unaware India team -- when he announced his immediate Test retirement after the drawn third Test against Australia in Melbourne late last month.

He had not mentioned it during his post-Test media conference only for Indian authorities to drop the bombshell via social media shortly afterwards.

India’s World Cup-winning captain again had nothing to say in the subject as he launched the Indian one-day team’s new uniform on Thursday ahead of their first tri-series game against Australia in Melbourne on Sunday.

Dhoni, who remains India’s ODI and T20 captain, stood next to new Test skipper Virat Kohli and six other-teammates on stage with the closest he came to addressing the issue when he was asked about his time off since that Test.

“It has been good, a few days off,” he said.

And that was it. There were a few prepared comments about the uniform, but no questions were allowed from the assembled journalists.

The microphone was handed to Kohli, one of the few Indian players to enhance his reputation during the 2-0 Test series loss to Australia.

“It’s been a very eventful month and a half since we came to Adelaide,” Kohli said.

“I’ve enjoyed every day of it. It’s been challenging at times, but that’s where international cricket is.

“All the boys have really enjoyed the challenge we got from the Australian team and the public as well.”

Dhoni, who is one of the world’s highest-earning sportsmen, was India’s most successful Test captain, winning 27 of the 60 Tests he led the national side in, with 18 losses and 15 draws.

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