No, IPL 2023 is not going to be MS Dhoni's last season for Chennai Super Kings | Cricket - Hindustan Times
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No, IPL 2023 is not going to be MS Dhoni's last season for Chennai Super Kings

By, New Delhi
May 11, 2023 02:38 PM IST

MS Dhoni is the master of orchestrating dream comebacks, and provided he is able to do it again on May 28, expect another 'Definitely not' from him.

A little over a month after he announced his retirement from international cricket, MS Dhoni returned to cricket 13 months after India's heartbreaking exit from the 2019 World Cup to lead Chennai Super Kings in the IPL 2020. As Dhoni made his famous walk and joined Rohit Sharma for a spin of the coin, TV and digital ratings at that moment, spiked. Dhoni was going to speak, for the first time since his Instagram handle broke millions of Indian hearts on Independence Day. This was the moment of truth. After saying goodbye to Indian cricket, will Dhoni also bid adieu to the IPL? And once the million-dollar question was answered with Dhoni' iconic 'Definitely not', all seemed right with the world.

The subtle hints prove that MS Dhoni is certainly not done playing for CSK after this year's IPL.(PTI)
The subtle hints prove that MS Dhoni is certainly not done playing for CSK after this year's IPL.(PTI)

Three years on, the question still remains a burning debate in the IPL. With every CSK match, Dhoni is bombarded, directly or indirectly - with a question around the 'R' word – and in his typical swagger, Dhoni keeps everyone in suspense. Initially, he kept it a secret, but as the season has gone on, he has started having fun. 10 days after Dhoni's internet-breaking 'farewell' statement, he took a U-turn when he told Danny Morrison 'You've decided it's my last [season], not me'. He is beginning to have fun.

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Irrespective of whatever Dhoni says, at almost 42, nursing a troubled knee, the popular belief is that this is it. The swansong, the final swing –however cliched it may sound. But a cursory glance at how Dhoni and CSK's current season has transpired indicates that it couldn't be any further from the truth. Dhoni is not going anywhere. At least not for another year.

Also Read - 'They chant Dhoni's name… will wait for me to get out': Jadeja not keen on batting higher for CSK in IPL 2023

Usually not the one to be the cause of burning trends on the internet, Dhoni sent everyone into a frenzy when CSK on their Twitter shared a pic of Thala batting with bulging biceps. Yet, a day before the season opener between CSK and Gujarat Titans, reports of Dhoni potentially sitting out the contest spread like wildfire. Of course, he made it. It was CSK and Dhoni's emphatic to Chepauk since 2019. Even if it meant that Dhoni had to play with a niggle in his knee, he would. Cut to the end of CSK's innings, and Dhoni was unbeaten on 14 off 7, the perfect finish.

From there on, Dhoni has set the IPL alight with one blazing cameo after the other. The back-to-back sixes off Mark Wood against Lucknow Super Giants, remaining not out of 32 off 17 balls against Rajasthan Royals almost seeing CSK through and just last evening, pummeling 20 off 9 against Delhi Capitals. This is vintage Dhoni turning back the clock. He has batted in 8 innings out of CSK's 12 matches and with 96 runs off 47 balls including 10 sixes and a strike-rate of 204, Dhoni has looked a million bucks. He is happy to let all the others bat ahead of him and still get the job done for CSK. Greatness. It is evident that CSK are using Dhoni the captain a lot more than Dhoni the batter although on most cases, it's the latter that has bailed them out.

When Dhoni gave over CSK's captaincy to Ravindra Jadeja last year, it was considered a passing-of-the-torch moment. But once the franchise slumped to four defeats under Jaddu, it was reset all over again with Dhoni taking back the post he relinquished. CSK's hunt for their next captain once again gained steam when the owners splashed a gobsmacking 16.25 crore on Ben Stokes, but having featured in only 2 matches this season, those hopes have been extinguished and how. Without the star power of Dwayne Bravo and Suresh Raina, Dhoni has marshalled his young team splendidly, bringing some quality performances out of Tushar Deshpande, Shivam Dube, Ruturaj Gaikwad and more in an epic throwback to his early days as India captain.

Furthermore, under Dhoni, CSK have found their lost glory that saw them win 4 IPL titles and are looking good for a record-equalling fifth. 2020 and 2022 were rather indifferent years for CSK as they failed to reach the playoffs, but a careful look provides the clear picture. It was only 2020 that CSK were all over the place. Last season, had the whole Jadeja-Dhoni-CSK fiasco hadn't turned out the way it did, the final outcome of their campaign could have been a whole lot different.

The master of orchestrating comebacks that Dhoni is, this year he looks to set to produce a repeat of 2018 and 2021. If five years ago, Dhoni stamped his authority once again when he led CSK to an emotional victory on their return to IPL after a two-season ban, in 2021, he banished the disappointment of CSK's failure to reach the Playoffs with another glorifying finish. Provided Dhoni does it again on May 28, expect another 'Definitely Not' from him.

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  • ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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    Aditya Bhattacharya is an experienced online sports journalist with a forte in cricket. He has covered the 2016 ICC World T20 in India, the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 in England along with several Ranji Trophy and Vijay Hazare tournaments across the country. When not working, Aditya can be found either hooked to the PlayStation or sharpening the chords on a guitar, while straddling binge-watching and shadow-practicing like Ajay Devgn on two bikes.

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