The former Chennai Super Kings captain MS Dhoni has not travelled to Delhi along with the team. The management is confident that Dhoni will play at some stage in the tournament but as of now there are no signs of his return. There have been many speculations before every match as the availability of Dhoni has always been a huge question mark. Seeing the veteran bat in the nets with ease always gives the fans the feeling that he will feature in the next game but they have been disappointed every time.

MS Dhoni was initially sidelined due to a calf injury and it was stated initially that he would miss a couple of games at the start of the season. But later on the unavailability just kept on extending with no further updates on the player until another report arrived. The report claimed that Dhoni is fit and available to play but he is not willing to disturb the winning combination. CSK found some rhythm with consecutive victories and he didn't want to take the spot of a youngster. The CSK Head Coach Stephen Fleming later stated that he once again injured his calf and he will be out for a couple of matches again. All the rumours and reports are ultimately hinting at one point and that is the silent retirement of MS Dhoni.

Emerging positives, and rising speculation as CSK cope without Dhoni’s presence

The Chennai Super Kings have been off to a very average start in this year's IPL as their fans have faced mixed emotions. They started with a hat-trick of losses and then they followed it up with two victories. There were questions regarding the form of their skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad and their existing stars. Their bowling attack didn't feel the same as they couldn't deliver even at their home conditions. The fans were absolutely distraught with the performance of their side as their fortress in Chepauk was breached. They clearly missed MS Dhoni behind the stumps as there were tactical blinders that could have been avoided by Gaikwad under proper guidance. They were also hit severely with the injuries of Ayush Mhatre and Khaleel Ahmed, as they were two of their most consistent performers.

CSK have had some positives in the season with the form of Akeal Hosein as he dismantled the Mumbai side. They had Kartik Sharma stepping up in the game against the Mumbai Indians the other night and it was the success of the scouts. Anshul Kamboj has emerged as a competitor in the purple cap race and he has carried the bowling unit. The seating pace and lengths of Jamie Overton cannot be ignored as he adds a lot of flexibility to the squad. Their star spinner Noor Ahmad has found his bowling form as he has been instrumental in their victories this season. Overall, they have bounced back well from their initial struggles but they still seem far off from a side for title contention.  

There were rumours that MS Dhoni might have just retired silently as he doesn't like much of a spotlight on him. He could feature in a game where the fate of the Chennai Super Kings have already been determined. It will be interesting to see if he will feature in this edition of the IPL as we could see the end of an era from one of the greatest IPL players.