MS Dhoni is preparing for the 18th Indian Premier League (IPL) match, which starts at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Saturday, March 22, between the reigning champion Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
The legendary batsman-wicketkeeper joined the Chennai Super Kings’ preseason training last month and, despite missing the last IPL season, has been playing well. A fan recently shared a video of the 43-year-old easily making an overhead pull shot during one of the net sessions in the run-up to the 2025 Indian Premier League on social media.
The Sound of the Bat on Ball ! 🥵#MSDhoni #WhistlePodu #CSK #IPL2025
🎥 via @ChennaiIPL pic.twitter.com/0QEN7Mtw2T— Saravanan Hari 💛🦁🏏 (@CricSuperFan) March 14, 2025
August 15, 2020, marked MS Dhoni retirement from international cricket.
He did, however, play in all five seasons of the IPL and did admirably. For an uncapped fee of INR 4 crore, the Super Kings kept the former captain of India.
In order to retain Indian players who had not played international cricket or held a BCCI central contract in the previous five years, the IPL Governing Council reinstated the “uncapped player” provision. This allowed teams to do so, maybe at a lesser cost than capped players.
At an average of 53.67 and a strike rate of 220.55, Dhoni scored 161 runs in the IPL 2024 despite only facing 73 balls. He hit 13 sixes and 14 fours during the season. He had appointed Ruturaj Gaikwad captain prior to the season, and the player performed admirably during his maiden term as manager of a five-time IPL champion team.
Following their heartbreaking defeat to Royal Challengers Bengaluru in their final game, Chennai finished fifth in the standings and painfully missed out on a postseason place. On Sunday, March 23, at Chennai’s MA Chidambaram Stadium, the Men in Yellow will play their first IPL 2025 match against the Mumbai Indians, their bitter rivals.