Will MS Dhoni participate in the upcoming Indian Premier League season? Not even the Chennai Super Kings franchise’s executive leadership is guaranteed. According to franchise CEO Kasi Viswanathan, “He has not told us anything,” Cricbuzz said on Sunday. “Anyway, he doesn’t tell us anything like that. He simply makes a decision.” It is therefore unclear if he will wear the yellow jersey once more till Dhoni makes a formal declaration.
But Dhoni won’t have to make a decision on his future till the next season. Dhoni and the team need to decide before the deadline for declaring retentions, which is due to be announced by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). There is not much time left before the deadline, even though there is some. They might still have November.
Following Saturday night’s game between Chinnaswamy Stadium and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Dhoni refrained from talking about his future. On Sunday morning, he boarded the first flight from Bengaluru to Ranchi. Dhoni may speak with N Srinivasan one-on-one at some point, but it’s thought that he’s only had one meeting with the CSK owner this season. They might have conversed frequently, nevertheless.
The key question of whether he will play or not will rely on his fitness, according to insiders and people with some knowledge of the circumstances. Numerous members of CSK, including head coach Stephen Fleming, claimed that Dhoni endured difficulty from lingering soreness all season long. Dhoni participated in all 14 games despite this, batting at various places and amassing 161 runs at an average of more than 53. But Dhoni is worth more to CSK and the IPL than just his stats.
According to some insiders, Srinivasan has certain intentions for the franchise, and the management of CSK may decide to separate the franchise from its owner, India Cements, at some point. In this scenario, Dhoni might have a different role. Naturally, it is up to Dhoni and Srinivasan to decide what it will be. Should he choose not to play, he might end up mentoring others.
“This, I believe, is it. I firmly think that MS Dhoni’s playing career would end here. We will definitely see MS Dhoni again in the future. Former CSK player Matthew Hayden, who is familiar with the team’s administration, told Star Sports, “I’d be very surprised if he doesn’t mentor or be a part of the CSK family in an official capacity.”
“I don’t believe that this is his final game. He doesn’t seem to want to conclude on this note, in my opinion. Even after he got out, he had a rather irritated expression. That is not at all like MS Dhoni, who only cared about qualifying and winning the match. However, with MS Dhoni, you never know; he might return the following year, as fellow CSK player and close ally Ambati Rayudu stated on the same channel.
Decision-makers at CSK, however, want him to carry on. Viswanathan stated, “The way he batted, he can surely continue.” “But it will be up to him.” This year, Dhoni has smacked 13 sixes.
Should the BCCI, like it did previously, permit a maximum of four Indian retentions, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ravindra Jadeja might be CSK’s retained players. Yes, Jadeja, the team has worked out all the kinks with the all-round player, and Jadeja is reportedly very much on board. If Dhoni agrees, he may be the third Indian, albeit not necessarily in that sequence. If not, Shivam Dube or a foreign player might be involved. But Matheesha Pathirana, the Sri Lankan slinger, won’t be allowed go, a source with CSK stated.
Regarding the quantity of retentions and possible Right To Match (RTM) alternatives, there is a great deal of conjecture. A decision will be made after consultation with the owners by the BCCI. Opinions among the owners and franchisees differ greatly; some desire as few as none, while others desire as many as eight retentions. Therefore, it won’t be too long before anyone learns about Dhoni’s future with the Chennai Super Kings.
