The most capped player in the history of the cash-riched league IPL, former Indian skipper MS Dhoni will once again marshal his troops in Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) bid to defend the title. The Yellow Brigade edged past 2022 champions Gujarat Titans (GT) in the final-ball thriller to lift the famous trophy for the record-equaling fifth time last season.
In the build-up to the new season, MS Dhoni was confirmed as the leader of the Chennai-based franchise for the umpteenth time. The five-time champions named Dhoni as their leader while announcing the retention list ahead of the mini-auction. Dhoni’s CSK parted ways with England all-rounder Ben Stokes and New Zealand pacer Kyle Jamieson ahead of the IPL 2024 auction last year.
MS Dhoni a nationwide rage during IPL 2023 playing for Chennai Super Kings.
“CSK is Dhoni. Dhoni is CSK” Chennai Super Kings local boy now which hails from Ranchi. MS Dhoni is the only player to record 250 appearances in the cash-rich league. The 42-year-old has amassed 5082 runs with an average of 38.79. Thala Dhoni has smashed 24 half-centuries in his iconic IPL career. Under MS Dhoni’s talismanic captainship many youngsters got groomed from 2008 to 2023 who later went on to be part of Indian national team playing 11.
The advice to the youngsters of each team after the match from MS Dhoni is as value as of gold for upcoming talents who wait even if their teams wains or looses only to meet MS Dhoni.
Year 2023 saw a nationwide rage with speculations around that finally it would be curtains for MS Dhoni the player in IPL as fans flocked to every venue in yellow to support MS Dhoni. This overwhelmed support from the fans all round compelled MS Dhoni to return back to play for season 2024 only for the fans as stated by him in the presentation of the finals of 2023 where CSK won the title equalling Mumbai Indians(MI) tally of 5 IPL titles.
All said and done MS Dhoni who was seeing limping all round throughout IPL season 2023, to go back and have a knee surgery to be more fitter for atleast one more season. However his dedication has irked the likes of Former Chennai Super Kings player and Indian allrounder Irfan Pathan to claim that Dhoni has more IPL left in him after 2024 as a player.
I really hope that MS Dhoni continues to play- Irfan Pathan
Former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan feels MS Dhoni might continue to play in the IPL even beyond the 2024 edition of the league. The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain is an icon of the game and has already won a staggering five IPL titles with the franchise.
While the debate about Dhoni’s future has once again sparked up with another IPL season approaching, Pathan shed light on just how fit the former Indian captain is and how he seems to be getting back to his vintage best.
Speaking to Star Sports, Pathan said about MS Dhoni:
“Definitely not (on whether IPL 2024 would be Dhoni’s last season). I had met him about a month ago. He had long hair, he is growing his hair. He is going back to the old times and looking supremely fit. For a guy who is past 40 and still so fit, I really hope for his sake, for his franchise’s sake and for the fans’ sake he continues to play,”
Dhoni had undergone knee surgery last year after CSK’s IPL triumph and had been pretty vocal about representing the franchise once again and continuing to give his best for the fans.
Irfan Pathan on MS Dhoni’s bond with CSK.
Irfan Pathan hypothetically claimed that even if MS Dhoni played on one leg, fans would flock to the stadiums to watch the legend take the field. The former player was hopeful that whenever Dhoni decides to call it quits, he ends it on a high.
Irfan Pathan stated:
“Even if Mahendra Singh Dhoni plays on one leg, people would still like to see him play. If this is his last season, I really want him to go on a high. He will never go out of IPL. He will never go out of CSK. CSK is Dhoni. Dhoni is CSK. There’s no difference,”
The Chennai Super Kings pipped the Gujarat Titans in the final last year in thrilling fashion. Needing ten runs of two balls, Ravindra Jadeja smashed Mohit Sharma for a six followed by a four to send the CSK fans into delirium.
Joint-top with Mumbai Indians in terms of most IPL titles, CSK would love to defend their crown and become the first team to win the tournament six times.
MS Dhoni is the only Indian cricket team captain to win the T20 World Cup, the ODI World Cup and the Champions Trophy too. Under MS Dhoni, India became the world No. 1 Test side also. While MS Dhoni has retired from international cricket, he still competes in the IPL for Chennai Super Kings. He led his team to the title in the IPL 2023 and will aim to emulate the feat again this year.