sharukh

Picture Credit: BCCI/IPL

MS Dhoni is a lot more than just a name in world cricket. The former India captain boasts of a massive fandom all across the globe. The way he operated at the top level made him a standalone player in all departments. The Ranchi-born cricketer was not just a phenomenal batsman but an equally able wicket-keeper and an even more successful captain. MS Dhoni remains the only captain with all the three major ICC trophies to date and it doesn't look like that anyone is ever going to achieve such a feat.

When it comes to the Indian Premier League, no one can imagine Chennai Super Kings without MS Dhoni and there are many reasons for that. He has won them four IPL trophies and who knows if there are more coming. Even at the age of 40 years, MS Dhoni possesses the ability to turn the game around with his tactical genius. Dhoni has captained in 204 IPL games and won 121 out of it, boasting a win percentage of 59.6. He is the only player to have captained in more than 150 games and still enjoy such a healthy win percentage.

The Tamil Nadu-based franchise is well aware of the fact and thus never let him go in the auctions since 2008. If Dhoni would have entered the auctions, the scenario could be imagined with what KKR owner Shah Rukh Khan had said about it. In 2018, when Dhoni was reuniting with his franchise CSK (returning from suspension), Khan had said that he would sell his pants to have Dhoni in his team.

"Yaar main toh usko apna pajama bech ke bhi kharid lun, wo aaye toh auction mein. (Brother, I can even sell my pants to buy Dhoni. He has to come for the auction for that)," SRK was quoted as saying by Sportswallah back then.

MS Dhoni has been retained by CSK ahead of Mega Auctions

The numbers for MS Dhoni the captain are phenomenal but, MS Dhoni, the batsman, is also not too behind. Dhoni has aggregated 4746 runs from 193 innings at an average of 39.55 and a strike rate of 1335.83. He has hit 325 fours and 219 sixes, fourth-most in the IPL. In wicketkeeping, Dhoni has 123 catches and 38 stumping to his name. All these numbers point to only one fact and that is MS Dhoni is one of the best cricketers to have played in the IPL. Chennai Super Kings (CSK) were bang-on with their selection of Dhoni in the 2008 auction.

These numbers speak volumes about Dhoni's popularity and demand in the Indian Premier League. However, neither CSK nor Dhoni have plans to separate their ways as he has already been retained ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auctions.