Having led in 210 matches, with a win percentage of 58.85, MS Dhoni is the most successful captain in the IPL history, in terms of matches won, taking his team to playoffs and to the titles.
MS Dhoni has helped Chennai Super Kings attain 4 IPL trophies – only 1 less than Mumbai Indians, but it is not to forget that CSK played 2 seasons fewer than MI.
The IPL 2023 is set to be the last season for MS Dhoni as a player
While his fans may hope that Thala Dhoni will continue to play for CSK in 2024 and beyond and forever, it is a reality that the IPL 2023 is set to be the last of him as a player: MS Dhoni will turn 42 a month after the IPL 2023 concludes; he’s already pushed himself lower down in the order in the past two seasons so that he faces fewer balls than he used to earlier and tries to make an impact.
He’s made impact with the bat coming late in the innings – as Jaydev Unadkat and Tom Curran would testify – but even Dhoni himself had stated last yeat that he’d like to play one more time in front of his home crowd in Chennai.
However, even an old Lion is still dangerous for other animals in the jungle. And the Lion of CSK, their stalwart, their heartbeat still has enough gas left in the tank to lead his franchise to another title and have the perfect farewell.
There are reasons why MS Dhoni is still quite dangerous and has it in him to take CSK all the way in IPL 2023:
MS Dhoni is coming into IPL 2023 mentally fresh and fully fit
One thing about not playing international cricket anymore is that you get to spend more time on your mental and physical fitness aspects. Over the last 3-4 years, since he’s stepped away from international cricket, the former India skipper has spent plenty of time with his family, friends, and at his farms.
He has also reportedly been working out more in the gyms than he used to in his peak years.
In the recently uploaded videos by CSK on social media, MS Dhoni looks as fit as ever; and in the videos which the fans have uploaded of his batting net sessions, he’s smashing the ball as well as ever, especially to spinners.
While most of the other players in the IPL will be coming off grueling, intensely-demanding international or domestic cricket, their bodies worked up, their minds perhaps stuck on the highs and lows, MS Dhoni will be strolling into the IPL 2023 with his body fit and mind fresh and free of any baggage.
MS Dhoni will be back at Chepauk, CSK’s fortress
The IPL will return to the traditional home-and-away format for the first time after 2019. Of all IPL franchises, this is the happiest news for CSK, for whom the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, also known as Chepauk, has been a fortress.
Why? Because of spin-friendly conditions in Chepauk – the pitch over the years has aided the spinners and on that strength, CSK have built their squads, and thrashed the visiting teams. CSK have a 70.91% win record at Chepauk, that’s why the ground is referred to as their “Fortress Chepauk” and “Lions’ den”.
And who better to marshall a troop of spinners than MS Dhoni?
The fact that CSK won the IPL 2021 without playing in Chennai – the tournament was split between India and UAE because of covid outbreak – makes it a more frightening thing for the other teams that CSK will now return to Chennai to play their 7 home league matches. That is, effectively a playoff slot sealed for the 4-time champions.
Not only this: the few stands that had been closed for the past few years due to redevelopment have not been opened for fans to throng in. That means the Chepauk is going to get a lot louder when MS Dhoni and his CSK team takes the field. There is no sight more intimidating than this for an opponent in the IPL.
