MS Dhoni, the former India and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain, has emphasised the importance of his wicketkeeping role in cricket. At 43, he continues to serve as the wicketkeeper for CSK, a team that has maintained unwavering confidence in his abilities.
Dhoni’s connection with CSK spans the entire history of IPL, except for two seasons during the team’s suspension. Under his leadership, the team secured five titles and reached ten finals.
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“If I’m not wicketkeeping, I think I’m useless on the field because that’s where I read the game in the best possible manner. It’s a challenge, and that’s what makes it interesting. Last few years, I don’t know whether it is 2 or 5 years, my franchise will be like you play till you want to play. Even if I’m on the chair, they will be like, don’t worry you play. I want to enjoy cricket, so one year at a time,” Dhoni said in a video posted by Star Sports.
Last season, Dhoni handed over the CSK captaincy to Ruturaj Gaikwad. CSK began their IPL 2025 campaign with a victory over Mumbai Indians at Chepauk.
Despite no longer being captain, Dhoni remains actively involved in field placements and offering guidance to Gaikwad during matches.
“After IPL last year, I almost immediately told him, ‘90% you will lead next season, so start preparing yourself mentally’. Before the start of the tournament, I also told him, ‘If I give you advice, it doesn’t mean you have to follow it. I will try to stay away as much as possible’,” Dhoni said on JioHotstar show “The MS Dhoni Experience”.
“During the season, a lot of people speculated that I was making the decisions in the background. But the fact is, he was making 99 per cent of the decisions. The most important calls – bowling changes, field placements – were all his. I was just helping him out. He did a brilliant job of handling the players,” he added.
Throughout his career, Dhoni has participated in 265 games, accumulating 5,243 runs and scoring 24 half-centuries.
CSK’s next match is scheduled against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at MA Chidambaram Stadium on Friday.
Get the latest IPL 2025 updates on Times of India, including match schedules, team squads, points table and IPL live score for CSK, MI, RCB, KKR, SRH, LSG, DC, GT, PBKS, and RR. Don’t miss the list of players in the race for IPL Orange Cap and IPL Purple cap.
