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Will playing another season of IPL actually benefit or tarnish MS Dhoni’s legacy?

Taking a deep dive into Indian cricket legend MS Dhoni's numbers in the last five IPL seasons compared to his earlier stints as an active player. Does MS Dhoni still need to play the league and if yes will it tarnish his legacy?

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MS Dhoni (Source-IPL/BCCI)

Chennai Super Kings fans are the most passionate in the world and their love for MS Dhoni knows no bounds. As the IPL 2025 retention day deadline nears, fans are eagerly waiting for one news. That is for MS Dhoni’s confirmation to play in the IPL 2025 season. If this happens, the former CSK skipper will be a handful of players to have played each and every season of IPL since the league came into existence. 

Here's one question though. Does MS Dhoni actually need to play at all? Barring nostalgia, what does the former CSK skipper actually derive from the exercise? At the age of 43, Dhoni has nothing left to prove. He has done everything that needs to be done as a player and as a captain. 

During his tenure, MSD has seen the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. Right from winning five IPL titles as well two Champions League winners medals. The highs outweigh the lows by a fair margin. The lows will include the entire spot-fixing saga from 2013 and the eventual two-year suspension, but that’s all in the past. 

Ever since Dhoni retired as an international player on August 15th, 2020, he has been playing in the IPL. The customary final league match toss with Danny Morrison had assumed special significance. Be it the “Definitely not” or his emotional address to the fans after winning IPL 2023, ‘Thala’ Dhoni has seen and done it all. 

MS Dhoni’s steady decline in numbers 

From 2008 to 2019, MS Dhoni, the international and IPL cricketer, was a different beast. His numbers were astronomical not just as the captain but also as a batter. Since his retirement, the former Indian star has given a few fleeting glimpses of his former self. 

MSD’s numbers from 2008 to 2019

Matches

Innings

Not Outs

Runs

50’s

Average

Catches

Stumpings

190

170

65

4432

23

42.20

99

37

The above numbers show MS Dhoni at the height of his powers from the years 2008 to 2019. This was the time when he was playing for India as a captain and later as a player and also leading CSK. Barring his two seasons with Rising Pune Supergiants in 2016 and 2017, Dhoni has been a one-club man.

His best years with the bat came in 2018 and 2019. This was the time when CSK came back from suspension to win the league in 2018 and reach the finals in 2019. MSD scored 455 and 416 runs in those two seasons which is his best-ever return for CSK in the IPL. 

Dhoni’s numbers post-retirement have taken a huge nosedive. The former CSK skipper has hit just 1 fifty in the last five editions of the IPL as the table denotes below. 

Matches

Innings

Not Outs

Runs

50’s

Average

Catches

Stumpings

74

59

30

811

1

27.9

54

4

Based on these numbers, does MS Dhoni actually need to push himself to play another season in the IPL? Isn’t it time for Chennai Super Kings to take the hard route of looking for a younger option? Sir Alex Ferguson once famously said, “Easy decisions win you friends, tough decisions win you titles”. It isn’t to say having Dhoni won’t win CSK titles. But the entire exercise to retain a player who has had injury issues in the last few seasons is a huge risk. 

To play or not to play is Dhoni’s decision and entirely his own. The former skipper has earned every right to walk away on his own terms, that’s unquestionable. But here’s the main question once more, does MS Dhoni need to? Will it help his legacy? Or will it actually tarnish his long-lasting memories with the fans? The jury is still out.

 

IPL MS Dhoni Chennai Super Kings
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