Legendary captain MS Dhoni responded to rumours that he was planning to retire after the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) defeated the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by a slim margin of two wickets at Eden Gardens. CSK’s third triumph of the 2025 season came after a lacklustre campaign.
CSK is currently at the bottom of the table for the first time in its history, despite the victory in Kolkata. After regular captain Ruturaj Gaikwad was sidelined in the middle of the season, Dhoni returned to lead the team, but the team was unable to witness a shift in fortune. The Ranchi-born batsman remained undefeated against KKR with 17 off 18 balls and assisted his club in achieving their greatest chase since 2019. Following the match, Dhoni talked about his retirement plans. The veteran made no formal declaration, but he did imply that he might participate in the upcoming season.
In addition to the fact that I am 43 years old and have played for a long time, it is the love and devotion I have received throughout the years. Since I only play for two months out of the year, they are unsure of when my final year will be. I have to work for the next six to eight months once this IPL concludes to evaluate if my body can handle this level of strain. At the post-match interview, he stated, “I have nothing to decide as of yet, but the love and affection I get everywhere is excellent.”
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It was a team effort that led to the triumph versus KKR. With four wickets, Noor Ahmad held KKR to 179. Shivam Dube‘s 45, Dhoni’s undefeated knock, and Dewald Brevis’ 52 from 25 balls then put his team back in the game.
The victory gave Chennai something to celebrate and spoilt KKR’s championship defence, even though CSK is already eliminated from playoff contention. The five-time winners will want to finish strong because they have two games left, including a final home game in Chennai.
“Have we won some? (Smiling) We have only won three games. Being on the winning side feels fantastic. Many things haven’t worked out for us. Being realistic is what matters. Determine the cause of the issue. I was concentrating on the 25 players who can fill. For the upcoming season, we need to know which bowlers can bowl where and which batters can fit in where based on the circumstances.
Nobody was scoring runs. Sure, you will occasionally get out, but you should support yourself and take the shots you believe you can make. These players are currently on the team; you might see them in the practice games or in the nets. Give them a chance and observe their response. You focus on their mental toughness and game awareness rather than their cricket skills or technique. He will succeed if he can determine the bowler’s actions and his bluff ball,” he continued.
“(On the talk with Dube) You have to keep their spinners out of the game, thanks to Brevis, he gave us that luxury, don’t give wickets to Sunil and Varun, then we will see. This is not a big ground, I said take it slightly to the end, not to forget, I was the last batter, that was the thinking. He played calculated shots and he hit two sixes and that brings the rate down,” Dhoni concluded.
India
