There’s speculation about whether MS Dhoni will retire after the IPL 2024 season, but Chennai Super Kings (CSK)’ batting coach, Michael Hussey, is optimistic that Dhoni will continue for “another couple of years.”
CSK management cautious with MS Dhoni’s workload
Hussey highlighted Dhoni’s impressive form and dedication to training, mentioning that despite Dhoni’s knee surgery last year, he has been in good touch this season. CSK has been cautious with Dhoni’s workload due to his surgery, but he has still made a significant impact with his batting.
“Your guess is as good as mine at this stage,” Hussey said on ESPN’s Around the Wicket show when asked if Dhoni would play IPL next year. “He keeps his cards very, very close to his chest. We are hoping he does keep going.
“He is still batting so well. He does prepare well – he gets into the camp very early and hits a lot of balls. He has been in good touch all season really. I guess we just got to try to manage him from the body side of things. He had a knee surgery after the last season. So he has been managing that from the initial stage of the tournament.
Also READ: MS Dhoni’s vintage tweet goes viral ahead of RCB vs CSK virtual knockout in IPL 2024
Hussey added: “From a personal point of view, I hope he keeps going for another couple of years. But we will just have to wait and see. He is the only one who will make that call. And he likes to sort of build the drama a little bit as well. So I wouldn’t expect a decision anytime soon.”
How do you follow someone like MS Dhoni?
Dhoni stepped down from captaincy at the season’s start, passing the baton to Ruturaj Gaikwad. Under Gaikwad’s leadership, CSK has performed well, and Gaikwad himself has excelled, amassing 583 runs at a strike rate of 141.50.
Speaking about Ruturaj, Hussey said: “He is a great guy, very calm.”
“He is a good thinker of the game. I mean it was always going to be a massive challenge for him, you know, how do you follow someone like MS Dhoni – it was going to be tough. But he has done a great job. He has been really calm and measured on the field. I think he will just get better and better the more he does it and the more support we keep around him.
Also READ: Lesser-known facts about MS Dhoni’s wife Sakshi
“From my point of view, the pleasing thing is, it has not affected his batting at all either. He has performed extremely well with the bat. So it has been really good so far.”
As the season progresses, fans and analysts will be keenly watching for any hints about Dhoni’s plans, hoping the cricketing icon will continue gracing the IPL for a few more years.
