With just a song and a one liner, former India captain MS Dhoni ended all speculation around his retirement. At 7.29 pm, he announced: “Consider me retired”.

“Thanks a lot for ur love and support throughout. from 1929hrs consider me as retired,” Dhoni posted on his Instagram handle.

His wife Sakshi Dhoni, who often trashed his retirement rumours in the past, was quick to react, with a heart emoji.

Like every few months, in May this year when the rumours of Dhoni’s retirement were at peak, Sakshi took to Twitter to trash them.

“Its only rumours ! I understand Lockdown has made people mentally unstable ! #DhoniRetires .. Get a life ! (sic),” Sakshi wrote on Twitter. She, however, quickly deleted the tweet.

In September last year also, she had taken to social media and rubbished rumours surrounding Dhoni’s future. “It’s called rumours,” Sakshi had tweeted.

The 39-year-old will, however, compete in this year’s IPL, which gets underway in the UAE from September 19 after being moved out of India due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Also Read: MS Dhoni to play IPL 2020: Reliving his best innings in the marquee tournament

The announcement came a day after he joined his Chennai Super Kings teammates at the side’s home base for a short training camp ahead of the players’ departure to the UAE next week.

Dhoni has not played since India’s exit from World Cup after the team lost the semifinals against New Zealand in July last year.

Under Dhoni’s captaincy, India lifted the 50-over World Cup in 2011 and the World Twenty20 in 2007. Dhoni also led India to the ICC Champions Trophy triumph in 2013 in England.