Five-time IPL champion Mahendra Singh Dhoni will certainly be stepping out for his 17th period in the event when Chennai Super Kings welcome Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Chepauk Arena for the opening suit of IPL 2024. Dhoni, a bonafide legend of the game, has been the face of CSK considering that IPL’s commencement in 2008. However, in a massive turn of events, Dhoni stepped down from his function as CSK’s captain with young opener Ruturaj Gaikwad taking over the reins from the 42-year-old.
The 2023 period of the IPL was raging with supposition regarding Dhoni’s retired life, with the then-CSK captain being quizzed concerning his time in the league on a weekly basis. However, ‘Thala’ placed the speculation at rest when he confirmed that he would certainly be returning for IPL 2024 after leading CSK to their 5th IPL title at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, defeating Gujarat Titans in the last.
” Seeking a response? This is the very best time to introduce my retired life. But the quantity of love I have actually received all over. The easy thing would certainly be to walk away from below, but the more challenging point would be working hard for 9 months and try to play one more IPL. It would certainly be a present from me, will not be easy on the body,” Dhoni informed broadcasters before joining his teammates to raise the IPL 2023 prize.
Nevertheless, the 42-year-old has been handling a worrying knee injury which could be the factor for him to ultimately call time on his remarkable IPL profession. This period, despite not being the captain, Dhoni will certainly have a vital function in grooming Gaikwad for the future. Dhoni, who played in his record-extending 10th IPL final in 2023, will be intending to present vital experience to the 25-year-old.
Under Dhoni’s captaincy, CSK has actually come to be the joint-most successful franchise in IPL background, securing the desired title 5 times (2010, 2011, 2018, 2021, and 2023). Dhoni’s flair for guiding his team via high-pressure circumstances and his astute cricketing brain has been instrumental in CSK’s continual success in the competition.
Independently, Dhoni has amassed 5,082 runs in 250 IPL matches, averaging 38.79 throughout 16 seasons, while striking at 135.92. He has racked up 24 half-centuries with a top-score of 84 *. Behind the stumps, no one has actually had the ability to much better Dhoni’s numbers, with his agility and sharp reflexes causing 142 catches and 42 stumpings.
His journey from being one of the most expensive cricketer in the inaugural IPL auction to becoming its most well known captain is a tale of ideas. If 2024 is to be the last dancing for ‘Captain Cool’, he would certainly be wishing to finish it on a high and include a sixth feather in his cap of IPL titles.
CSK IPL 2024 SQUAD
MS Dhoni, Ruturaj Gaikwad (C), Moeen Ali, Deepak Chahar, Devon Conway, Tushar Deshpande, Shivam Dube, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Ravindra Jadeja, Ajay Mandal, Mukesh Choudhary, Matheesha Pathirana, Ajinkya Rahane, Shaik Rasheed, Mitchell Santner, Simarjeet Singh, Nishant Sindhu, Prashant Solanki, Maheesh Theekshana, Rachin Ravindra, Shardul Thakur, Daryl Mitchell, Sameer Rizvi, Mustafizur Rahman, Avanish Rao Aravelly.