MS Dhoni turned 44 last month. It’s been now five years since he called time on his international career. However, the legendary wicketkeeper-batter continues to play in IPL for Chennai Super Kings, a franchise
that won all of their five trophies under the maverick cricketer’s captaincy.
In 2024, he stepped down from CSK captaincy and passed the baton to Ruturaj Gaikwad. They missed out on a playoffs spot by a whisker, but the last season was a forgettable affair as they endured a historic low – for the first time, CSK finished bottom of the standings.
CSK’s poor performance aside, one Dhoni’s impending retirement was among the most frequently discussed topics throughout the season. The former India captain has kept the doors open for his participation next year but adds that he’s not going to play for long.
“Me and CSK, we are together,” Dhoni said during an event recently. “You know, even for the next 15-20 years (crowd cheers). I hope they don’t think I’ll be playing for another 15-20 years.”
His playing days could be numbered but Dhoni has cleared that he will continue to be in CSK’s camp.
“It’s not about one year or two years. I will always be sitting in a yellow jersey. You know whether I’ll be playing or not in a while, but yeah, you know yourself,” Dhoni said.
Dhoni noted CSK’s role in shaping his career and helping him grow as a person.
“I feel the relationship over the years has grown. It helped me improve as a person. It helped me improve as a cricketer. CSK just happened. I think it’s good for Chennai. So, today it’s good for me also,” he said.
Dhoni Acknowledges CSK’s Slump
CSK have won two of the last five IPL seasons. However, in the remaining three, they have failed to qualify for the playoffs.
“Yes, the last couple of years have not been good for us. We have not been up to the mark. But what is important is for you to see the learnings. Yes, you had a bad season. But what went wrong? And that was the question for us last year also,” Dhoni said.
The season was quite eventful for the yellow brigade. Gaikwad was ruled out midway through the season due to an elbow fracture and Dhoni took over as the captain for the remainder of their campaign.
“Rutu will be coming back. He got injured. But he will be coming back. So, we are quite sorted now,” Dhoni said.
