Ever since his international retirement in 2020, fans have been eager to see MS Dhoni pick up the microphone. However, the legendary former Indian captain has all but shut down those hopes, describing the role of a commentator as a “difficult” art form that doesn’t quite suit his personality.
In a rare and candid interaction with sports broadcaster Jatin Sapru, the 44-year-old explained the specific hurdles that keep him away from the commentary box.
Struggle with Statistics
Despite a career spanning nearly two decades and three ICC trophies, Dhoni admitted he isn’t one for the record books. He noted that while many experts can recall figures from across eras, he struggles to remember even his own career statistics, making the data-driven world of modern broadcasting a tough fit.
“Commentary is very difficult. I feel there is a very fine line between describing the game and in that process getting into a zone where you start criticising individuals who are playing the game. It’s a very thin line,” Dhoni told Jatin Sapru during a Youtube interaction.
MS Dhoni believes there is a very fine line between describing a game and unfairly targeting individuals. He emphasized that while one must point out mistakes when a team loses, doing so without making players “feel bad” is a skill he finds incredibly delicate.
“Often, you don’t even feel that what you are doing is may be borderline wrong. You would always like to be on the other side where you are describing the game. If you feel something is wrong you say it out.
“But how to put it, that is also an art, how to politely put it forward where nobody feels targetted…If the team is losing there are reasons behind it, and you need to have the skill of describing those reasons without anybody feeling bad. That is the art of commentary,” he said.
