How Dhoni spent his last day as captain

MS Dhoni's last act before the BCCI issued an advisory to reveal that he had stepped down as India's limited-overs captain was a 30-minute long meeting with his Jharkhand team-mates on their Ranji Trophy campaign.

He chatted with them about the highs and lows in a campaign that, in many ways, was pathbreaking. This was Jharkhand's first ever semi-final since their entry in 2004. When the world received a typically short message about him giving up the captaincy that didn't state why he had done so, Dhoni was fiddling away on his Playstation console, challenging his mates to a game of FIFA even as four security guards stood outside the room preventing the hotel staff and bell boys from seeking autographs or selfies.

After everyone had dispersed, he rallied his team together for a small dinner. He walked out relaxed, as if nothing in the world had changed for him even if everyone else, particularly in the cricket fraternity, had an evening of hard work ahead, as was the case when he dropped the bombshell of his Test retirement minutes after a post-match press conference in Melbourne where there was no inkling of what was to follow.

In Dhoni's world, though, his decision to relinquish the captaincy might just have been another little thing. Over the last four days in Nagpur, there was little to suggest his hunger had diminished, or that his appetite for batting and those helicopter shots had abated. Much after Jharkhand were bundled out in the final session, Dhoni, with four bats of varying sizes and thickness, strode out for a range-hitting session on the centre wicket. Connect he did, hitting balls to all corners of the old VCA ground in Civil Lines. Oh, and amid all this, there was a long chat with MSK Prasad, the chairman of selectors, even as local photographers clicked away, ever so certain that the conversation was about India's team composition for the England series.

Dhoni's daily routine included 30-minute batting sessions during the lunch breaks, followed by an hour at the gym before he exercised his arms by simply raising them and staying put - waving to 500-odd spectators who religiously turned up every day just to have their hero acknowledge them. A mere glance in their direction was enough to elicit whistles and the familiar chants of "Dhoni! Dhoni!" He may not have been in the limelight for a couple of months now, since India have only played Tests in that time, but that didn't diminish his star power.

His stay in Nagpur was not just about himself but about his state side, with whom he has trained at different times in the last year, most notably during the domestic one-day tournament last year. His last Ranji Trophy appearance may have been in 2004, but the camaraderie he shared with his young group was visible. His team-mates weren't ignored amid the craze.

Wicketkeeping tips were given to Ishan Kishan. Considerable time was spent in demonstrating, or so it seemed, the importance of having soft hands. Batting tips were offered to men who were to follow in the batting order. Catching practice and light throwdowns before play were also part of the routine. He looked every inch a man who didn't bear the weight of expectation.

Dhoni has often underlined the importance of building a team that can succeed without him, of leaving when "the time is right" even though no one could be really sure if he would last till the 2019 World Cup. Mingling with a young group, dining with them and spending time may be intangible contributions to his state side, the moments treasured by all members of the squad. When rookies and senior players alike spoke about the value of having him in the dressing room, one could sense that they weren't simply empty words.

In Nagpur, it definitely didn't feel like a young team overawed by the presence of an icon, a limited-overs great. They just did fine, happy and cheerful like a young family welcoming an older brother.