MS Dhoni: The 43-year-old Indian cricket icon gears up for another IPL

All eyes are on MS Dhoni, who continues to command superstar status in Indian cricket as the Indian Premier League ( IPL) 2025 draws near. He will retire from international cricket in 2020.

Dhoni continues to play a significant role in the country’s richest baseball group.

Along with him are seasoned pros like Rishabh Pant, Yashaswi Jaiswal, and rhythm bowlers like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, as well as rising stars like Shubhman Gill and Jashaswi Jaiswal. They are one of the people who helped India win two ICC titles in the last nine months, the Champions Trophy past month and the T20 World Cup in June.

However, Dhoni continues to attract fans with his authority and reputation in the league, which also commands unmatched attention.

The 44-year-old cricketer will play his 18th IPL season in a row for the Chennai Super Kings ( CSK), which he will play for 16 of. He is the tournament’s oldest person this year, but not the oldest to have participated in the IPL.

When he last played in the IPL for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR ), Australian spin bowler Brad Hogg was 45 years and 92 days old. The oldest debut for the Rajasthan Royals, leg-spinner Pravin Tambe, who is 41 decades and 212 days old, played his last game in 2019 at 44 years and 219 days, caping an extraordinary job.

It’s still to be seen whether Dhoni did beat Tambe and Hogg. His pension appeared to be nearing three seasons before when he relinquished the CSK captaincy. His frequent appearances last season suggested the equal. Given his five-year absence from foreign baseball, CSK resisted using the loyalty section in the IPL big auction to buy Modi for the 2025 time.

Dhoni has scored 5, 243 operates in 18 Tournament seasons, which puts him fifth on the list of all-time runs now led by Kohli.

His career batting average of 39.12 is higher than that of Rohit Sharma and Kohli, and he leads only David Warner ( 40.52 ) and AB de Villiers ( 39.70 ) among league players with more than 5, 000 runs.

Among players with over 5, 000 runs, Dhoni’s strike rate of 137.53 ranks behind only de Villiers ( 151.68 ) and Warner ( 139.77 ).

In sixes, Dhoni ( 252 ) trails only Gayle ( 357 ), Sharma ( 280 ) and Kohli ( 272 ).

These batting statistics only show one element of Dhoni’s skill. He has a record of 180 dismissals as a wicketkeeper ( 141 catches and 39 stumpings ), which is unmatched by anyone. His quick reflexes and skillful glovework earned him the title “pickpocket” from Ravi Shastri, a former American manager.

The “helicopter killed,” a flick-drive played over midwicket with a wrist-flex of the lower side, became his personal batting prowess.

His ability to control the suit, which he did almost to the end, with extraordinary nerve control, and violent strokes interspersed with the game, was another significant aspect of his batting. He even ran between batsmen like a hare, making him India’s best matchwinner in his primary.

In his capacity as the captain of the IPL ( 221 ) and the most victories ( 123 ), Dhoni led CSK to five IPL titles and two Champions League titles. He also holds the record for most IPL victories and most wins.

Additionally, he helped India win three ICC titles, including the Champions Trophy ( 2013 ), the ODI World Cup ( 2011 ), and the T20 World Cup ( 2007 ).

Moreover, he has played 90 Test matches and helped India reach the No1 ICC rating before his unexpected retirement mid-series in 2014-15. His impact on the test cricket is significant.

Sunil Gavaskar and Shastri, former Indian captains, have often praised him as India’s greatest cricketer always. Although it is available for discussion, it is now widely known that Dhoni belongs to the same group as Sachin Tendulkar, Sachin Tendulkar, and Kapil Dev.

What does the present year therefore hold for him?

Dhoni is still mentally tough and fiercely aggressive despite the fact that his actual condition has increased as he gets older. He resigned from his winner position, which he had held since the beginning of the league, and changed how he handled celebrities that may affect the outcome.

Dhoni was soon accept the effect person law, which allows teams to select an additional expert batter or bowler based on the game situation, while also serving as a non-designated casual sounding board for the captain and mentor to the squad.

Dhoni’s inclusion in the CSK club is a no-brainer. His attractiveness extends beyond Greek fans, bringing significant branding and professional benefits to both the company and the IPL. An IPL without Dhoni is “unthinkable,” as CSK puts it.

Ravi Shastri refutes this claim, saying that it may reduce chances for young people, both in India and abroad. ” The club operates in free-market relationships. Franchise owners aren’t romantic; they are “knowing what’s best for them, both on and off the discipline,” he claims.

Competitors are being warned by past India opener Robin Uthappa, who has played for both India and CSK, to write off Singh at their own risk. Some of the magic from the past could still be seen.

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