--- title: "Some Goodbyes Are Never Easy: MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina’s Emotional Farewell" url: https://whatsthescore.in/blog/some-goodbyes-are-never-easy-ms-dhoni-and-suresh-raina-s-emotional-farewell author: "Arpan Ghosh" author_url: https://whatsthescore.in/author/arpan-ghosh author_title: "Sports Enthusiast, Cricketer, Historian" publisher: "What's The Score" category: "Cricket" type: news published: 2026-08-15T19:37:00+05:30 updated: 2026-08-15T15:42:32+05:30 reading_time_minutes: 4 tags: ["Cricket History", "cricket news", "CSK", "Dhoni Retirement", "Indian cricket", "MS Dhoni", "MSD", "On This Day", "Suresh Raina", "Team India"] license: "Quotation with attribution and a link is permitted. Full reproduction is not." canonical: https://whatsthescore.in/blog/some-goodbyes-are-never-easy-ms-dhoni-and-suresh-raina-s-emotional-farewell --- # Some Goodbyes Are Never Easy: MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina’s Emotional Farewell *MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina farewell to international cricket on August 15 2020* By Arpan Ghosh · 15 August 2026 · 4 min read ## Key takeaways - August 15, 2020 became one of the most emotional days in Indian cricket history. - MS Dhoni announced his retirement from international cricket. - Minutes later, Suresh Raina also announced his international retirement. - Dhoni and Raina shared a strong bond both on and off the cricket field. - Together, they were part of India's successful white-ball era, including the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup and 2013 ICC Champions Trophy triumphs. - Raina finished his India career with 18 Tests, 226 ODIs and 78 T20Is. - Dhoni remains the only captain to have won the T20 World Cup, ODI World Cup and Champions Trophy. - Their retirement announcements on the same day became a defining moment in their friendship and Indian cricket history. **August 15, 2020, became one of the most emotional days in Indian cricket**. On a day when India celebrates its Independence Day, two of the country's most beloved cricketers, **MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina**, announced their retirements from international cricket. The announcements came within minutes of each other, turning an ordinary Saturday into a day that millions of Indian cricket fans would never forget. For fans, it wasn't simply the retirement of two cricketers. It felt like the closing of a chapter — one that had produced World Cup triumphs, unforgettable finishes, incredible fielding moments and a friendship that extended well beyond the cricket field. ### A Friendship Built Through Cricket Dhoni and Raina's relationship was one of the most recognizable partnerships in Indian cricket. They shared the Indian dressing room for years and also became key figures for **Chennai Super Kings**, where their partnership became a defining part of the franchise's identity. For India, Raina was an important member of Dhoni's white-ball teams. The pair played together during some of India's most successful years, including the **2011 ICC Men's Cricket World Cup** and the **2013 ICC Champions Trophy** triumphs. Their connection wasn't limited to batting partnerships. They understood each other's game, trusted each other under pressure and often shared the field during India's biggest matches. The BCCI noted that Dhoni and Raina formed a particularly successful batting partnership, combining for 2,421 runs for the fifth wicket in ODIs, the most by a pair for that wicket at the time. ### Dhoni: The Captain Who Changed Indian Cricket MS Dhoni's international career lasted 16 years and produced an extraordinary list of achievements. As India's captain, Dhoni led the team to three major ICC limited-overs titles: - 🏆 2007 ICC Men's T20 World Cup - 🏆 2011 ICC Men's Cricket World Cup - 🏆 2013 ICC Champions Trophy He remains the only captain to have won all three of those ICC trophies. Dhoni also became famous for his calmness under pressure, lightning-fast wicketkeeping and ability to finish matches with the bat. His iconic six in the **2011 World Cup final at the Wankhede Stadium** remains one of the most memorable moments in Indian cricket history. By the time he retired, Dhoni had represented India in: - 90 Tests - 350 ODIs - 98 T20Is He finished his international career with more than 17,000 runs across formats and 829 dismissals as a wicketkeeper. ### Raina: The Energetic Left-Hander Suresh Raina brought a different kind of energy to Indian cricket. A powerful left-handed batter, athletic fielder and occasional bowler, Raina became one of India's most important limited-overs players during the late 2000s and early 2010s. He represented India in: - 18 Tests - 226 ODIs - 78 T20Is Across those formats, he scored 7,787 international runs. Raina also created several pieces of Indian cricket history. He became the first Indian batter to score centuries in all three international formats, and he was the first Indian to score a century in the T20 World Cup, hitting 101 against South Africa in the 2010 tournament. His contributions weren't limited to batting. Raina was renowned for his athletic fielding and became one of the players associated with India's transformation into a stronger fielding side. ### A World Cup Memory They Shared The 2011 World Cup remains particularly special when remembering Dhoni and Raina together. Raina played an important role during India's knockout campaign. He scored 34 not out against Australia in the quarter-final and 36 not out against Pakistan in the semi-final, helping India progress to the final. Dhoni then produced the defining moment of the tournament in the final, hitting the famous winning six against Sri Lanka. India lifted the World Cup on home soil. Years later, the two players would walk away from international cricket on the same day. ### One Announcement, Then Another There was something almost poetic about the sequence. First came Dhoni. Then, only minutes later, Raina. The timing immediately connected the two announcements in the minds of fans. Raina had been an important part of Dhoni's India teams, and their friendship had become one of the most recognizable relationships in Indian cricket. ICC described Raina as an indispensable part of Dhoni's white-ball sides, highlighting their success together at the 2011 World Cup and 2013 Champions Trophy. For supporters, seeing the two retire on the same day made the moment even more emotional. ### More Than Teammates Cricket creates partnerships that fans remember forever. Some are defined by runs. Some by wickets. Some by trophies. And some by friendship. Dhoni and Raina represented all of these. Their journey began in the Indian dressing room, continued through World Cups and Champions Trophy triumphs, and became even stronger during their years together at Chennai Super Kings. When their international careers ended on the same day, it felt as though one final chapter had been written. **August 15: A Date Indian Cricket Will Always Remember** August 15 will forever have a special place in India's history. But for cricket fans, August 15, 2020, carries another memory. It was the day **MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina said goodbye to international cricket.** Two careers. Two legends. One unforgettable day. And a friendship that became part of Indian cricket folklore. Some goodbyes are never easy. 💔🥹 Thank you, **MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina**, for the memories. ## Frequently asked questions ### When did MS Dhoni retire from international cricket? MS Dhoni announced his retirement from international cricket on August 15, 2020. ### When did Suresh Raina retire from international cricket? Suresh Raina announced his international retirement on August 15, 2020, shortly after Dhoni's announcement. ### Did MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina retire on the same day? Yes. Both announced their retirement from international cricket on August 15, 2020. ### What was the relationship between MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina? Dhoni and Raina shared a close friendship and were long-time teammates for India and Chennai Super Kings. Raina was an important member of Dhoni's white-ball teams. ### Why is August 15, 2020 significant in Indian cricket? It was the day both Dhoni and Raina announced their international retirements, making it an unforgettable day for Indian cricket fans. ## Sources - ICC — Suresh Raina retires from international cricket - ICC — MS Dhoni retires from all international cricket - BCCI — Suresh Raina bids farewell to international cricket - BCCI — Tributes pour in for MS Dhoni - ICC — Tributes for Suresh Raina --- Originally published by What's The Score at https://whatsthescore.in/blog/some-goodbyes-are-never-easy-ms-dhoni-and-suresh-raina-s-emotional-farewell