Indian cricketing stalwart and Chennai Super Kings captain MS Dhoni is set to play his farewell match at Chepauk Stadium, Chennai against the Kolkata Knight Riders on May 14 if CSK does not qualify for playoffs. The news was confirmed by an official of CSK.
As per the reports, the official stated, “Yes, it will be Dhoni’s last season as a player. This is what we know so far. But of course, it’s his decision. He has not officially communicated to the management that he will go into retirement. It is a special occasion for all CSK fans as IPL returns to Chennai. But it will be a sad moment if Dhoni plays his final season.”
Dhoni has led CSK since the inaugural season in 2008. Last season, Dhoni handed over the captaincy to R Jadeja but it didn’t go as planned and CSK had a tough time under Jadeja’s captaincy. The former captain took back the captaincy after just 8 games. MS Dhoni’s side only managed to register four wins out of fourteen games.
CSK’s Captaincy Dilemma:
MS Dhoni’s retirement will create a succession problem. With Ben Stokes as an option, CSK is also looking at two potential options in Ajinkya Rahane and Ruturaj Gaikwad.
As per the reports, an official from CSK stated, “Of course, we are happy to get Ben Stokes. He is not just a match-winner but also a great leader. It’s MS’s call on who he will name his successor. With foreign players leading in the IPL, there is always the problem of combination. Plus, all-rounders are always tricky customers to handle. If Ben doesn’t get a NOC next year, it will be a problem. So, one can never rule out a young Ruturaj.”
