MS Dhoni confirmed his participation in next year’s IPL ahead of the last match of the Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2022. The CSK captain had given his captaincy duties to Ravindra Jadeja at the start of the season. However, with only 2 wins in 8 matches, Dhoni was given the captaincy back.
Dhoni has led the franchise to four IPL titles and they will be eyeing a fifth title – to equal the Mumbai Indians’ tally – next year in what is likely to be his last IPL season.
Here are 3 major reasons why MS Dhoni will play his last IPL season in 2023:
Age
Nothing can stop time and age. As much as one can try, there has never been a player to play in the most competitive T20 league in the world at the age of 42. Dhoni will be just four months short of 42 when the IPL 2024 will commence.
Even if we consider Dhoni’s incredible fitness levels, playing in the IPL at that age, especially for a wicketkeeper, seems a far-fetched thought. We have already seen him batting at a much lower position in the batting order in the past couple of seasons. Dhoni will have to defy the laws of human life to turn up and make a positive impact in the IPL at the age of 42.
Dhoni himself has hinted at IPL retirement next year
More importantly, than anyone else’s opinion on whether Dhoni should play beyond next year, the man himself hinted that the main reason he will be playing next year is to bid adieu to his home fans in Chennai.
The IPL will return to the regular home and away format from next season, and hence Dhoni said he will take that opportunity to say his farewell to the Chennai fans.
“Definitely [I will play IPL 2023]. It’s a simple reason: it will be unfair to not play in Chennai and say thank you [to the fans]. Also, hopefully next year there will be an opportunity where the teams will be travelling so it will be a like thank you to all the different places where we will be playing games at different venues,” Dhoni had said earlier.
Form
While Dhoni remains an asset to CSK as a captain and a leader and an inspirational figure in the dressing room, he’s still one of the 11 players. And for that, he needs to make a positive impact to the side with the bat. This has, however, been a slight issue in recent seasons.
Last season, he scored 232 runs at a strike rate of only 123 – and even though he did well in a couple of outings, this strike rate is much lower that what you’d expect from a finisher.
Some of his knocks – 23 off 28 balls vs PBKS, 36* off 33 vs MI, 7 off 10 vs GT and 26 off 28 vs RR – raised questions over his method and scoring rate.
