Dubai: MS Dhoni, the captain of Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Tuesday hinted that he will continue playing for the franchise for at least one more IPL season by saying that his fans can see him play a ‘farewell game’ in Chennai next year as well.
Dhoni, who hung up his boots from international cricket last year in August, has been a key player for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) over the years. With the ongoing IPL 2021 taking place in UAE, where he is leading CSK, many fans reckon Dhoni won’t feature in the next season of IPL and this season will be Dhoni’s last ahead of the mega-auctions for next year’s tournament. Well, that doesn’t seem to be the case as Dhoni hinted towards playing another IPL season.
Speaking to some of his fans virtually at India Cements’ Platinum Jubilee Year, the 40 year old wicketkeeper-batsman revealed that he’ll ‘hopefully’ play his farewell at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. Dhoni’s statement clearly indicates that he’s planning to take the field next season as well.
“There couldn’t have been a better date (August 15, 2020) to announce your retirement. When it comes to farewell, you can still come and see me play for CSK and that can be my farewell game. So, you will still get that opportunity to bid me farewell. Hopefully, we will come to Chennai and play my last game over there and we can meet the fans there,” Dhoni said while interacting with fans during the virtual event.
Talking about CSK’s ability to remain composed in tough situations in big matches, Dhoni said, “We try to keep it as normal as possible. We try to prepare well by having enough sleep and prepare for the opposition we are playing against. We are a process-driven team and we know that if we follow the process if we execute the plans well if we do the small things right, we will get the desired result, we know the result is a byproduct and that also keeps us calm.”
Known for smashing sixes for fun, the former India skipper has struggled to get runs, and he has been woefully out of form. In the 2021 edition of the competition, the 40-year-old has accumulated only 84 runs in his first 13 outings with his average and strike rate being less than 15 respectively.
“We live in the moment and enjoy each other’s company. We know that if we play to our potential, we can beat the opposition. If the opposition has to beat us, they have to play better cricket,” he elaborated.
Post the IPL, the former India captain will take up the role of Team India’s mentor during the T20 World Cup, which will be held in UAE later this month. Dhoni said that the country has always come first for him. “For me, my country has always come first, followed by my parents and wife and child. That has helped me take crucial decisions in life. When you are at the moment and you follow a principle then decision making becomes a lot easier,” he concluded.
Three-time champions Chennai Super Kings have managed to qualify for the IPL playoffs once again this year and are currently sitting on the second spot with 18 points in IPL 2021.
