Mahendra Singh Dhoni : Mr Perfect

Mahendra Singh Dhoni has an immense sense of occasion. The wrapping up of the series against Australia 2-0 here in Nagpur could be the finest moment in his short career as Test captain. But he knew the game's importance also lay in it being Sourav Ganguly's last for India.

To make Dada's last day on the field memorable, Mahendra Singh Dhoni asked him to captain the side for five overs, towards the end of the match. The game had already been won, with Australia nine wickets down. Touched by the gesture, Sourav obliged, setting the field and instructing the bowlers. “I was already switched off. He woke me up and I didn't know what was happening. Luckily it was already nine down. I did it for two-three overs and told him it's his job,” Sourav said.

Earlier, as the occasion deemed, he let Sourav Ganguly lead the team onto the pitch in the morning. Mahendra Singh Dhoni shared hugs and encouraging pats on the back with India's most successful captain as he began his last day of international cricket.

Not just here in Nagpur, but even in Delhi it was on Dhoni's shoulders that Anil Kumble covered a part of the distance of the Feroz Shah Kotla, doing a lap of honour for the crowd who had assembled to bid him farewell.

Anil Kumble was here in Nagpur with the team. On Monday, when Mahendra Singh Dhoni was asked to come up to receive the Border-Gavaskar trophy, the Indian captain insisted that Kumble comes with him too. After Sunil Gavaskar and Allan Border made the presentation, Dhoni let Kumble hold aloft the prize and take it to the waiting teammates.