ICC World Cup | Run-out in 2019 semifinal made it clear it was my last day for India, says Dhoni

MS Dhoni revealed his last game for India was the 2019 World Cup semifinal vs. New Zealand, where he was run out. He said it was difficult to control his emotions and he knew his time in international cricket was over. He said retiring from cricket took away the chance to represent his country. Fans still throng stadiums for Dhoni during the IPL and he has promised to play one more season to express his gratitude.

A distraught Mahendra Singh Dhoni trudging back to the pavilion after being run out in the 2019 World Cup semifinal against New Zealand is one of the most tragic moments in Indian cricket history.

A little over four years since India lost that match by 18 runs and crashed out of the World Cup, Dhoni has revealed it was at this moment that it became clear to him that his time in international cricket was over.

On that Manchester evening when Dhoni walked back to the pavilion being run out by Martin Guptill, not many would have thought that it was his last game for India.

Also read: IND vs NZ: Cricket World Cup 2019: Was lucky to get a direct hit from outfield, says Guptill on Dhoni run out 

"It is difficult to control the emotions in a close game (especially) when you have lost," said ‘Captain Cool’ at an event in Bengaluru recently.

"Inside, I am done with my planning. To me, that was the last day I played cricket for India (even though) I announced my retirement one year later. But the fact was, that day I retired,” he said.

"We are given those machines (for monitoring fitness) and every time I went to the trainer I gave it back to him but he would say, 'no, no, you keep it'. Now, how do I tell him that I do not need this anymore and I will not be needing it because I did not want to announce it (retirement) at that point of time," Dhoni continued.