This is how Dhoni broke the news about his retirement to BCCI and his teammates and his family

This is how Dhoni broke the news about his retirement to BCCI and his teammates and his family

A teary-eyed Dhoni with Suresh Raina after the announcement.

Moments after the post-match presentation ceremony of the third Test match in Melbourne on Tuesday, Mahendra Singh Dhoni got in touch with BCCI Secretary, Sanjay Patel to deliver what can possibly be called the most shocking and unanticipated news in Indian cricketing history.

Soon after the match ended in a draw, Dhoni reportedly spoke to the BCCI Secretary and informed him about his decision to retire from Test cricket.

Taken by surprise, Sanjay Patel said he asked the cricketer if he was injured. But Dhoni calmly told him he simply wanted to quit Test cricket "for good" and requested him not to break the news until after he himself had informed his team members, who were clueless about the development.

Just before the press conference, where too he did not give , the 33-year-old called on the entire team and dropped the bombshell, who were left astonished. It has been reported that the turn of events was so overwhelming for all that including Dhoni, all the team members broke into tears.

Players, then posed for pictures with the former-Test captain in the dressing room. Amid tears, they hugged and bid an impromptu farewell to him. It has been reported that even his family members were unaware of his plan to retire from his white Test flannels. After the team members, it was his family's turn to know about his decision.

Even though questions were raised on his overseas performance as a Test, Dhoni did give a hint sometime last year that he will retire from one format of the game before the World Cup. But that it would come in the middle of this tour, and unannounced was unexpected both by his team members and the BCCI.

The only hint he gave about his retirement on the field on Tuesday was at the end of the third Test when Dhoni plucked a stump on his way back. "Why would he collect a stump in a drawn game?" asked Ian Chappell on Channel Nine. "Why not," replied Dean Jones. "He has nine victims from the Test- some sort of a record."