Speaking on MS Dhoni’s decision to wait 6-7 months and see if his body allows him to play another season of the Indian Premier League, former India and Chennai Super Kings’ off-spinner Harbhajan Singh expressed confidence that Dhoni will come back to play one more edition of the T20 league.
The IPL final could not have asked for a better finish, as Chennai Super Kings won their fifth title in style, with Ravindra Jadeja hitting a six and a four off the last two balls when Chennai needed 10 runs to beat Gujarat Titans. This was done while chasing a revised target of 171 in 15 overs in the rain-curtailed final on Monday.
After the match, the fans eagerly waited for the CSK captain Dhoni to speak about his future plans, and the legendary former India captain announced that he has not ruled out the possibility of coming back to play again for Chennai Super Kings next year. This received a rapturous cheer from the crowd.
Speaking on Star Sports’ Cricket Live, Harbhajan said, “This is the biggest news for fans. MS Dhoni will possibly come back next year. Fans will get to witness their beloved Thala donning that yellow jersey again. The expectations are going to be high from Chennai Super Kings next year and this team knows pretty well how to handle that pressure of expectations.”
The IPL final in 2023 was the landmark 250th match for Dhoni, and former India all-rounder and coach Ravi Shastri reckons the legacy of MSD is unparalleled.
“250 IPL matches is a tribute to MS Dhoni’s fitness. No one can match the kind of legacy Dhoni is going to leave behind in this tournament. He is called Thala by the whole of Chennai and Tamil Nadu. The love and adulation a guy from Jharkhand receives down south from fans of Chennai Super Kings is testimony to the greatness of this cricketer.”