No matter which stadium he is playing at, when he walks out to bat, he’s welcomed like a gladiator. The crowd chants his name in unison, waves flashlights while eagerly awaiting his arrival on the pitch.
That’s the aura of Chennai Super Kings (CSK) skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who may have retired from international cricket but continues to light up the Indian Premier League (IPL) with his mere presence.
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At the age of 41, Dhoni is as fit as any spring chicken. He has become more muscular, hits his shots with more authority, still rapid while running between the wickets, and the strike-rate hasn’t been an issue for him this season.
Still regarded as a legendary wicketkeeper, he is continuing his wizardry behind the stumps.
It all seems like a fairy tale, doesn’t it?
The IPL is back to its original module of home and away games, CSK have returned to Chepauk and fans are enjoying the ‘Vintage Dhoni Show’ in almost every game. But they never know when this man from Ranchi may calls it quits.
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The curiosity about ‘whether it’s going to be his last season’ has been around since Dhoni announced his retirement from international cricket, on 15 August 2020.
That year, he had a straightforward answer to this question – ‘Definitely not.’
In 2021 he said, “Let’s see. Two more franchises would be there, so, you never know."
And last year, he expressed his willingness to play in front of the Chennai crowd and promised to return as the CSK skipper in 2023.
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But what shall be the scenario in 2024? Will he be back as a player for CSK at the age of 42? These are the thoughts bothering the CSK fans nowadays. A few players say ‘he should’, while some opine ‘he won’t’.
After all, when it’s about Dhoni, one can’t be sure and only make a guess.
Sarandeep Singh, a JioCinema expert for IPL 2023, believes that it all depends upon Dhoni’s fitness. If he is good to go, he should turn up for CSK next year.
In a select media interaction organised by JioCinema, he said, “If he is fit, he can play. But when we speak about MS Dhoni, it’s always his call. Because no one can tell better than him how he would be feeling or how will his body respond. We have been seeing him for the last 15 years and this season as well. We saw him in the last game, against RCB, the way he took those two catches. He ran from behind the wicket, called for the catch, and grabbed it. He simply takes the pressure on himself."
The former India selector further said Dhoni would definitely asses himself and look if he can contribute to the team.
“He’s one of the best we have ever had. So, it totally depends on him; if he feels he can contribute. It’s not just about playing but also about the contribution. You see the last game and the ones before. Whenever his team needs him, he comes and hits a few sixes or puts the score on the board.
“So, that’s a completely individual call for Dhoni," he added.
Dhoni’s performance in IPL 2023
The CSK captain has batted in four innings so far and has scored 59 runs with his strike rate 210.71 currently the third-best in the ongoing season. SRH’s Heinrich Klaasen leads the chart with a strike rate of 236.36, followed by Nicholas Pooran – 216.92.
Dhoni’s highest score this season is 32 not-out off just 17, against Rajasthan Royals, which included three sixes and a four.
CSK’s standing on the points table
With three wins and two losses, the CSK are currently placed third on the points table with 6 points, with a positive NRR of 0.265.
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