Picture Credit: BCCI/IPL
The five-time champions, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will take on Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Saturday, May 3 in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. Although, the MS Dhoni-led side will be eying to spoil other teams parties after being officially eliminated from this edition of the tournament, there have been conversation around the legend’s future as well, seeing him turn 44 in a few months time.
Seeing MS Dhoni’s elongated IPL career, former India cricketer and legend Sunil Gavaskar has shared his thoughts on whether the 43-year-old may have extended his IPL career one season too many times. It is to be noted that the former Indian captain, took over the helm once again after regular skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad was ruled out of the season due to an elbow injury.
Any future decision he takes will also depend entirely on CSK: Sunil Gavaskar on MS Dhoni
With hope of CSK seeing a turnaround with MS back at the helm, the side failed to click in as a team and bowed out of the tournament. Seeing Dhoni go beyond measure to continue to play with the Yellow Army, Gavaskar hit back at the critics and emphasised on the legend’s selfless act to priortise his team over his personal life. "Any player makes decisions not so much for himself, but for what is likely to be good for the team. Whatever decision MSD made about playing this season would have been based solely on what’s best for CSK,” Gavaskar said, as quoted by India Today.
The former India cricketer also added that if in future MS Dhoni continues to play, his decision will rely on the team’s needs rather than his personal gain. “Any future decision he takes will also depend entirely on what’s good for CSK—not necessarily what’s good for himself,” Gavaskar further added.
The former India cricketer turned commentator also shared a piece of advice for the Men in Yellow, while adding that the side needs to get their auction strategy right first. "First and foremost, they need to get their auction strategy right. I'm not too sure their scouting team is as effective as those of other franchises. That said, scouts shouldn’t rely solely on leagues like the Jharkhand League, UP League, or others like them. Success in those leagues, often played on smaller grounds against relatively ordinary bowling attacks, doesn’t necessarily translate to higher levels,” Gavaskar said.
It is to be noted that the Yellow Army have had a torrid season this year. In ten matches played so far, CSK has won two whereas have lost eight from them. The currently sit at the bottom-most spot in the IPL 2025 standings and will next take on RCB in Bengaluru on May 3.
