MS Dhoni has kept everyone wondering whether he will retire from the IPL. Still, the Chennai Super Kings management believes that their beloved captain, affectionately known as 'Thala' by the fans, will continue for another season.
"That's just my feeling, my gut instinct," said franchise CEO Kasi Viswanathan in an interview after CSK's game against Kolkata Knight Riders, which technically marked the franchise's last home game of the season. "He hasn't given us any indication either way, but based on how he played and led the team, I think he will play next year too," Viswanathan added.
Dhoni has a history of surprising fans with his retirement decisions. He announced his retirement from Test cricket unexpectedly in the middle of a series in Australia in 2014, catching everyone, including the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) officials and his teammates on tour, off guard.
After keeping everyone eagerly waiting for a long time, he decided to retire from international cricket on a memorable evening in August 2020. He even picked a specific time for the announcement: 7:29 PM. Later, he chose this time because it coincided with the sunset time on August 15, which is India's Independence Day. He later told his friends, "There couldn't have been a better day than Independence Day to bid farewell to international cricket."
Dhoni had previously mentioned that he would play his last Indian Premier League (IPL) match in his hometown of Chennai. On Sunday night, Chennai Super Kings (CSK), who had returned to play at their home ground after three years, had their final home game. However, later, they may have another opportunity to play at the Chepauk Stadium. The stadium will be hosting two playoff matches, so technically CSK still has a chance to play there again.
They have earned 15 points from 13 games, which puts them in a position to make it to the playoffs unless there are unexpected results in the final round of league games. The last game for CSK will be played on Saturday afternoon in Delhi. As a gesture of appreciation for their fans, the CSK players took a lap around Chepauk on Sunday night.
Throughout this IPL season, Dhoni, as a player, has upheld his reputation admirably. He has done an excellent job leading the team. He has effectively brought out the best in some new and inexperienced players, such as Matheesha Pathirana and Tushar Deshpande. He had even motivated players like Ajinkya Rahane and Shivam Dube to deliver outstanding performances, which needed to be improved when they were part of other teams in Mumbai.
Despite dealing with a troublesome knee, he performed admirably as a wicketkeeper. While he only scored 98 runs, he impressively hit 10 sixes and maintained a high strike rate of nearly 200. This is particularly important for someone batting at positions 7 or 8 in the lineup. His presence alone drew massive crowds to every stadium, with fans of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) consistently outnumbering the home team supporters wherever they played. In fact, a frenzy of Dhoni supporters spread across all the Indian Premier League (IPL) venues. Even though he will turn 42 next year, he has certainly presented a strong case for playing another season, and what's more, the CSK management also wants him to continue.
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