Your name will go down in history as one of world’s batting greats: PM Modi’s letter to MS Dhoni

Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote a heartfelt note to Mahendra Singh Dhoni on his retirement on August 19. The two-page letter charts Dhoni’s meteoric rise from humble means and his many achievements that will “forever be etched in the public memory for generations.”

The prime minister’s letter takes the readers on a walk through the spectacular journey of the India Cricket team’s former captain “through the prism of statistics.”

Echoing the emotions of "130 crore Indians who were disappointed but also eternally grateful for all that you (Dhoni) have done for Indian cricket in the last decade-and-a-half," PM Modi says in his letter: “You have been one of the most successful captains, instrumental in taking India to the top of the world charts. Your name will go down in history as being one of the world's batting greats, among the greatest cricketing captains and certainly one of the best wicketkeepers the game has seen.”

He praises the cricketer for helping India clock the 2011 World Cup win, saying: “Your dependability in tough situations and your style of finishing matches, particularly the 2011 World Cup Final, will forever be etched in the public memory for generations. But, the name Mahendra Singh Dhoni will not be remembered merely for his career statistics or specific match-winning roles.”

PM Modi notes that it would be an injustice to remember Dhoni just as a brilliant sportsperson as his humble background has served as a harbinger of hope for many.

“The correct way to assess your impact is as a phenomenon! Rising from humble beginnings in a small town, you burst onto the national scene, made a name for yourself and most importantly made India proud. Your rise and conduct thereafter gives strength and inspiration to crores of youngsters who like you have not been to cushy schools or colleges, neither do they belong to illustrious families, but they have the talent to distinguish themselves at the highest levels. You have been one of the important illustrations of the spirit of New India, where family name does not make young people's destiny, but they make their own names and their own destinies.”