'Even Sachin Tendulkar is batting..' - Ruturaj Gaikwad's humorous response to MS Dhoni's retirement rumors

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad was questioned about MS Dhoni's possible retirement, and he had a most amusing answer to the question for the media.  At the pre-match news conference on Saturday, March 22, Gaikwad stated that MS Dhoni undoubtedly had a few more years of cricket remaining in him in the IPL, considering that Sachin Tendulkar was still hitting effectively at 50. Sachin's knocks in the International Masters League, when the renowned batter made several outstanding strokes, were mentioned by Gaikwad.

Sachin led the 2025 India Masters to victory and made two spectacular shots in the tournament's championship match. Ruturaj Gaikwad noted this and stated that MS Dhoni is training especially for his place in the batting order since he has been confined to the No. 8 spot for the last two seasons in an attempt to make the most effect in the game's final two overs.

"So, definitely that always will be there. As 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," Gaikwad made the statement before CSK's match against Mumbai Indians.

Later he mentioned MS Dhoni's age factor and even at this age, he is not showing signs of slowing down. "So, without a doubt, it motivates many of us, including myself and the rest of the group. Therefore, I think it is amazing what he is achieving at 43. It is truly admirable. He will undoubtedly try to make the greatest contribution he can.  However, for the past two years, we have been adhering to certain strengths. Therefore, I don't think anything will change, and I hope he will keep giving us those important knocks," he continued.

MS Dhoni still has that charm in his batting

As the IPL 2025 approached, MS Dhoni had made conflicting statements about his retirement. During a speech, Dhoni stated that he hoped to continue enjoying cricket for the foreseeable future.  In the future, however, he donned a T-shirt that read 'One Last Time' in Morse Code.  Once the message was decoded, Dhoni fans went into a frenzy, hoping that their favourite talisman would play in the IPL for a few more seasons.

Even though he is now 43 years of age, he has the energy to play in IPL and play some hard-hitting strokes. In the last IPL, he scored 161 runs from 14 games. In addition to blasting sixes for his death-overs role, the 43-year-old trains smart by staying in top shape and blasting sixes. Dhoni's presence inspires the squad as a whole, even beyond his performance. Gaikwad revealed that when Dhoni hits the ball, young players in CSK's team are frequently in awe.