Ruturaj Gaikwad backs MS Dhoni to continue playing in IPL
What's the story
Ahead of the 2025 IPL season, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain Ruturaj Gaikwad said that MS Dhoni has "many years to go" in the league.
This speculation comes after Dhoni's recent T-shirt with the phrase "One Last Time" in Morse code, as he arrived for pre-season training in Chennai.
The cryptic message sparked widespread discussions about the cricket legend's retirement plans.
Inspiration
Gaikwad draws inspiration from Sachin Tendulkar
Gaikwad's faith in Dhoni's IPL career is also inspired by Sachin Tendulkar, who still continues to be at the top of his game at 51.
The CSK captain emphasized this while speaking about Dhoni's future in the league.
He said, "If you see now, even Sachin Tendulkar is batting as great as he is right now, even at the age of 50 [51]. So, I think there are still many years to go."
Performance
Dhoni's performance and strategy in IPL 2024
Despite fears of his knee injury, Dhoni had an incredible IPL 2024 season. He scored 161 runs at an astonishing strike rate of 220, hitting a boundary every 2.7 balls.
Gaikwad revealed that Dhoni's strategy for the next IPL season is no different, with training centered around his position in the batting order and gearing up to hit as many sixes as possible.
Dependence
CSK's reliance on Dhoni's impactful performances
CSK is banking on Dhoni's match-winning performances in IPL 2025 season.
Gaikwad said Dhoni will look to contribute as much as he can to the team's success.
He said, "Whatever he is doing at the age of 43, I think it is remarkable. It is really commendable."
The captain also hoped that Dhoni would continue to play match-winning knocks for CSK in the next season.