After Chennai Super Kings (CSK) won big against Gujarat Titans on Sunday, captain MS Dhoni finally spoke about his retirement in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Many people wondered if he would retire after CSK had a tough season this year. Dhoni led the team for most of the matches because Ruturaj Gaikwad was out with an injury. Even with their win, CSK finished at the bottom of the points table.
Dhoni told everyone he has “4-5 months” to make up his mind. He also made it clear he is “not saying I am done” but also “not saying I am coming back” next season.
He said the win on Sunday was a “perfect performance,” even though CSK had not had a good season overall. He also mentioned that the team’s catching was much better in that last game.
“I have 4-5 months to decide“: Dhoni Leaves Everyone Guessing his IPL Retirement
About his future, Dhoni explained, “It depends. I have 4-5 months to decide, there’s no hurry.” He stressed the need to keep his body fit to play at his best. He added, “If cricketers start retiring for their performance, some of them will retire at 22,” suggesting that performance alone should not be the reason for quitting.
Dhoni plans to go back to Ranchi and enjoy some bike rides during the break. He repeated that he has “the luxury of timing” and will think carefully before making his decision.
He also looked back at CSK’s season. He said when they started, they played many games in Chennai and often chose to bat second. But he felt the pitches were good for batting first. He admitted he worried about the batting earlier in the season, but noted that they now had players who could score runs.
Dhoni also gave a humorous shout-out to Ruturaj Gaikwad, who will likely lead the team next season. He joked that Gaikwad, who is 15 years younger, makes him “feel I am old.” Dhoni hopes Gaikwad will not have too many worries when he takes charge next season, as the team seems to be finding its rhythm in batting.
