A blog by Â(c)hinaman

So, the ‘icon’ has decided to take a rest.

Selectors rest Dhoni for Sri Lanka Test series

Mumbai: Mahendra Singh Dhoni has opted out of the Idea Cup three-Test series in Sri Lanka. Speculation had been rife that Indiaâ?(tm)s one-day and T20 captain was considering skipping the Test series part of the tour of Sri Lanka.

In three-and-a-half years, Dhoni has played 29 Tests, 115 ODIs, 10 Twenty20 Internationals and the DLF-IPL T20 for Chennai Super Kings.

“He wanted a break and the BCCI acceded to his request,” said Ratnakar Shetty, Chief Administrative Officer, BCCI. Dhoni had formally made a request to the BCCI officials here on Monday evening. He is reported to have conveyed his decision to Dilip Vengsarkar, Chairman of the national selection committee.

Were his motives honorable? The cricketing jury is still out.
Is he genuinely fatigued?
Is he showing ‘maturity’ by preventing a burnout?

Or is he cleverly avoiding cricket that brings him the least return.
So that he returns fresh to play when he likes:
in a role he likes,
and for the amount of money he likes.
As the ODI and T20I captain or
… to earn by the IPL millions.

Burnout?

No.
True burnout has at its core a sense of disillusionment in the task.
It is certainly not an identity at crisis either,
or the job becoming meaningless.
Lets face it, he was the captain iconic of the losing finalists at the ipl-dorado,
raking in a staggering $1.5 million.

Fatigue?

No.
No more than many others.
It is reported in 3.5 years he has played: 29 tests | 115 ODIs | 10 T20I
- and of course the 16 IPL matches.

On an arithmetical annual average that is: 8 test | 33 ODIs | 3 T20Is
A 76 working day year. A massive workload. Not.

But equate this to his earnings:
Set aside the earning through endorsements which flows irrespective
and prize money that is perfomance related, his fixed earnings last year were:
$150,000 (roughly) for a year; as a Grade A BCCI contracted player he earns Rs 60 lakhs.
$1,500,000 for just six weeks work as an Icon in IPL.

He “wanted a break” –
BCCI rewarded him with one, he will be chomping at the bits for the next IPL series.

What would happen if every high earning player,
every icon,
starts to demand rest from Tests matches to be able to play IPLs and similar T20s?
Is that the sounds of hammer hitting the Test-cricket’s coffin nails, I hear?