No more IPL for MS Dhoni? CSK skipper speaks on retirement: ’It would be a gift from me…’

As CSK won its fifth IPL title, skipper MS Dhoni announced he is still not ready to retire. The announcement came in the post-match presentation where MS Dhoni said that the easy thing would be to walk away, but but the harder thing would be working hard for 9 months and try to play another IPL.

“Looking for an answer? (He asks Harsha Bhogle after the latter asks him about his legacy) This is the best time to announce my retirement. But the amount of love I have received all over. The easy thing would be to walk away from here, but the harder thing would be working hard for 9 months and try to play another IPL. It would be a gift from me, won't be easy on the body. You do get emotional, the first game at CSK everyone was chanting my name. My eyes were full of water, I needed to take some time off in the dugout. I realised I need to enjoy this,” MS Dhoni said. 

MS Dhoni couldn't do much in the IPL 2023 finals as Mohit Sharma dismissed him on the first ball, a point where the stadium went numb. As MS Dhoni walked back to the pavilion, tears were visible in some eyes. Finally, Ravindra Jadeja completed what MS Dhoni wanted and Shivam Dubey also ensured that CSK finishes the chase.

The buzz around the retirement of MS Dhoni was going around for the past few years. The former Indian skipper MS Dhoni took retirement from international cricket in 2019 but continued playing as CSK skipper in the IPLs.

MS Dhoni is among the most successful Indian skippers, who led the team through the 2007 ICC World Cup Twenty20, the 2011 Cricket World Cup, and the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy. In 2010 and 2016, India also won Asia Cup under his leadership.

In IPL also, MS Dhoni successfully led CSK through 14 seasons of the tournament and the franchise played 10 finals under his leadership. CSK won five titles out of the 10 and is now at an equal stage with Mumbai Indians (MI) who also have five titles to their name.