MS Dhoni's departure from the Indian Premier League (IPL) after the 2023 season has sparked much conjecture.
Notably, the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain has already begun preparing for the tournament's 16th edition. Meanwhile, both former and current CSK players have backed Dhoni's decision to play longer.
It has also been claimed that he will be fit to play in the upcoming IPL seasons.
Deepak Chahar, the Indian pacer, is the most recent to weigh in. In a recent discussion, Chahar was asked,
"MS Dhoni will play in his last IPL. You saw him practice. How is his batting going on?"
Nobody predicted that this would be Dhoni's final IPL season, said the right-armer fast bowler. The 30-year-old also stated that even the legendary cricketer himself has not provided an update on the situation.
"No one has said that this would be his final year. At least, he hasn't. Hopefully, he will play more. We don't know any such thing, we want him to play as much as he can,"
Chahar told News India Sports,
"He knows when to retire, we saw it when he did in Tests and international cricket. No one else knows. I just hope he continues to play, it's a privilege to play under him. It has been a dream to play with him. He's in good touch as well, you will see that when he bats in the IPL this year,"
he added.
Former Australia and CSK batsman Shane Watson had stated that MS Dhoni is fit enough to play in the IPL for the next 3-4 years. He believes the CSK captain still possesses batting and wicketkeeping abilities. Dhoni, according to the 41-year-old, is one of the reasons CSK is a successful franchise.
"I heard that this is the last IPL of MS Dhoni but I don't think. MS Dhoni can continue to play for the next three to four years. He is still very fit and batting and wicket-keeping really well. His leadership is something that is as good as his game. His fitness and mind-reading of the game make him a good leader. His skills on the ground are awesome. He is one of the main reasons that CSK is successful,"
Watson said.
CSK will play the reigning champions Gujarat Titans (GT) in the IPL opener on March 31 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
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