MS Dhoni is set to lead in what is all but certain to be his last IPL season. The Chennai Super Kings will kick-start their IPL 2023 campaign on March 31 in the tournament opener against Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad.
CSK finished 9th in IPL 2022, a season marred with the Ravindra Jadeja controversy. Now, though, with everything between CSK and Jadeja sorted out, everyone have their focus on the tournament.
In particular, everyone is excited to see a packed crowd in Chepauk to welcome their team back after 2019, and to give MS Dhoni, in particular, a farewell.
Meanwhile, the 41-year-old Thala will be eyeing the tournament as well to create some more records, individually and collectively.
Here are 5 big records/landmarks that MS Dhoni can break/reach in the IPL 2023:
MS Dhoni eyes 5000 IPL runs
So far in his IPL career, MS Dhoni has amassed 4978 runs in 234 matches(200 innings) at an average of 39 and strike rate of 135, cracking 24 fifties. Even though Dhoni is set to bat lower down the order, he is likely to score the remaining 22 runs this season to join the 5000 runs club in the IPL. Only 6 other batters have so far crossed the 5000-run milestone in the IPL, and only one – Suresh Raina – is from CSK in this list.
Become the first-ever player to captain a single franchise in 200 IPL matches
MS Dhoni has led CSK in 196 matches and is just 4 shy from becoming the first captain to lead a single franchise in 200 IPL matches.
Rohit Sharma, the Mumbai Indians skipper, is a distant second with 143 caps as captain in the IPL.
200 IPL sixes for CSK
MS Dhoni has smashed 199 sixes for CSK, the most in this franchise’s history. With one more hit over the fence, he will become the first and only player to hit 200 sixes for CSK.
Stumping record
MS Dhoni already holds the record of most stumpings by any wicket-keeper in the IPL history – 39, followed by Dinesh Karthik (34). Dhoni also has taken the most number of catches (131) as a wicket-keeper. He will eye to further his tally with his sharp glovework behind the stumps.
MS Dhoni would want to lead CSK to 5th IPL title
And the most important record that MS Dhoni and all the CSK will be eyeing is to win another trophy – what would be the 5th IPL title for MS Dhoni as captain and for CSK, equalling Rohit Sharma and Mumbai Indians’ tally of 5 IPL trophies.
CSK squad for IPL 2023:
MS Dhoni (capt & wk), Mooen Ali, Bhagath Varma, Deepak Chahar, Devon Conway (wk), Tushar Deshpande, Shivam Dube, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Ravindra Jadeja, Sisanda Magala, Ajay Mandal, Mukesh Choudhary, Matheesha Pathirana, Dwaine Pretorius, Ajinkya Rahane, Shaik Rasheed, Ambati Rayudu, Mitchell Santner, Subhranshu Senapati, Simarjeet Singh, Nishant Sindhu, Prashant Solanki, Ben Stokes, Maheesh Theekshana
