Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the captain of Chennai Super Kings, has said that he will not make a hasty decision about his Indian Premier League (IPL) future after leading his team to their 10th final in the T20 tournament.
Dhoni, who retired from international cricket in 2019, is one of the most successful and popular players in the IPL. He has won four titles with Chennai and has a loyal fan base that calls him “Thala”, meaning leader in Tamil.
However, the 41-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman has also faced speculation about his IPL career, especially after Chennai’s poor performance last season when they failed to qualify for the playoffs for the first time.
Dhoni has bounced back this season, scoring 232 runs at a strike rate of 144.69 and hitting 18 sixes. He has also impressed with his captaincy skills, guiding Chennai to nine wins out of 14 matches in the league stage.
On Tuesday, Dhoni might have played his last match at home M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai as Chennai beat holders Gujarat Titans by 15 runs in the first play-off. Dhoni received a rousing reception from the crowd but fell for one after two balls.
When asked by presenter Harsha Bhogle whether the play-off match was his last at home, Dhoni said he had not made up his mind yet.
“I don’t know, I have eight, nine months to decide,” Dhoni said. “The small auction will be around December, so why to take the headache right now. I have ample time to decide.”
Dhoni also said that he will always be there for Chennai, whether as a player or in some other role.
“I will always be there for CSK, whether in playing form or sitting somewhere outside … I don’t really know,” he said. “But frankly it takes a heavy toll. I have been out of home from January, been practising since March, so we will see.”
Dhoni, who led India to two World Cup titles and a Champions Trophy victory, is known for his calm demeanor, innovative tactics and finishing abilities. He said he can be an “annoying” captain sometimes as he constantly shifts the fielders around.
“I can be a very annoying captain because I shift the fielder one or two feet here and there every time,” he said. “Imagine you are fielding and every two balls or three balls, I am like, ‘Okay two feet to your right, three feet to your left.’ It can be annoying.”
“The only request I ask from the fielders is ‘keep an eye on me. If you drop a catch, there won’t be any reactions but just keep an eye on me.’”
Chennai will face the winner of the second play-off in the final on Sunday at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
