SOUTHAMPTON: Former skipper Wasim Akram on Saturday praised ex-Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni as one of his "favourites".
"Mahendra Singh Dhoni was one of my favourite players," Akram said soon after Dhoni announced retirement from international cricket.
"He came, he conquered and left," the legendary cricketer said.
Akram, highlighting Dhoni's contribution to Indian cricket, said that under his captaincy, the team won the World Cup, T20 World Cup, and ICC Champions Trophy.
"Dhoni was a fearless player who did not fear his opponents," Akram added.
The former Indian captain announced retirement from international cricket in a cryptic social media post earlier today.
"Thanks a lot for your love and support throughout. From 1929 hrs consider me as Retired," he wrote on Instagram with a video montage which had images from his 15-year international career.
The message ended speculation around the international future of the enigmatic 39-year-old, who quit test cricket in 2014 and has not played for India since the team's semi-final exit at the 50-overs World Cup in July last year.
Dhoni burst onto the international scene in an one-dayer against Bangladesh in late 2004 as a long-haired wicketkeeper with spectacular power-hitting prowess.
He went on to become statistically India's most successful captain, leading them to World Cup triumphs in 2007 (T20) and 2011 (ODI), while they also became the top ranked test team under him in 2009.
As a batsman, Dhoni also transformed himself into one of the best finishers of the game, famously illustrating it by securing India's 2011 World Cup victory by hitting a six in the final against Sri Lanka.
The immensely popular cricketer ends his ODI career having played 350 matches, scoring 10,773 runs and effecting 444 dismissals. He holds the record for most dismissals in T20 internationals with 91 in 98 matches.
Overall, Dhoni has amassed 17,000 international runs across formats, including 16 centuries, and more than 800 victims as wicketkeeper.
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