Ricky Ponting, former Australian captain, recently shared his views on Chennai Super Kings (CSK) retaining MS Dhoni for the IPL 2025 season. At 42 and in the final stages of his cricket career, Dhoni has been playing only in the IPL since retiring from international cricket in 2020. Under his leadership, CSK has won five IPL titles, solidifying Dhoni’s legacy as one of the league’s greatest captains.
Ponting believes that CSK might consider resting Dhoni for occasional games to keep him fresh and maximize his impact. Reflecting on Dhoni’s recent performances, Ponting noted that two seasons ago, Dhoni had a challenging year but made a remarkable comeback last season, delivering match-winning performances much like his prime years. On a recent episode of The ICC Review, Ponting stated, “Two seasons ago, he probably had his worst season, but then last year, he bounced back, impacting games like the MS Dhoni of old.”
“CSK Might Think to Leave MS Dhoni Out for a Match”: Ricky Ponting
Ponting thinks this approach could work well for Dhoni this season too. Given Dhoni’s age, CSK might need to manage his workload by resting him accordingly to ensure he remains at his best throughout the tournament. Ponting suggested, “They might not get him through the whole season. They might think about leaving him out for a game and resting him here and there to get the best out of him.”
Besides his batting and wicket-keeping skills, Dhoni’s presence brings invaluable experience and leadership to CSK. Even when he isn’t captaining, Dhoni remains a mentor and a guiding force for the team. Ponting emphasized Dhoni’s influence, saying, “Any team he’s in, whether he’s captain or not, he’s always going to be a mentor and a leader, whether he’s playing or on the sidelines. He’s crucial to Chennai, for that leadership he brings on and off the field.”
Ponting also admired Dhoni’s ability to adapt over the years, allowing him to maintain his effectiveness despite the demands of T20 cricket. Dhoni’s current strategy of batting late in the innings highlights his selflessness, flexibility and ability to maximize his role. Ponting added, “He’s batting the last 20 balls of an innings now but still showing that you can make a big impact by doing that.”
Praising Dhoni’s longevity, Ponting highlighted how only the best players can stay at such a high level for over a decade, adapting their game as they go. Moving on, all eyes will be on the IPL 2025 Mega Auction which is to be held in Riyadh on 24 and 25 November. IPL fans will be eager to see how their favourite franchises strategize to complete their squads.
Also read: CSK Retention List IPL 2025: ‘Uncapped’ MS Dhoni Retained with 8 Crore-Pay Cut
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