MS Dhoni will continue to be associated with the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), but it might not be as a player, said former Australia and CSK opener Matthew Hayden. This comes after CSK was eliminated from the IPL 2024 as they lost to RCB in a crunch match in Bengaluru.
Many had hoped for CSK to enter the playoffs and play the final which will be held at CSK’s fort, the M Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. This would’ve been a perfect swansong for MS Dhoni, who at 42, was playing his 17th edition of the Indian Premier League.
However, Dhoni, the previous CSK captain, failed to lead his side to the IPL 2024 playoffs after his team’s title defense ended. The reigning champions needed to avoid an 18-run defeat against RCB, but they were completely outmatched at M Chinnaswamy Stadium and fell by 27 runs.
Dhoni fought hard in the finish to offer visiting supporters hope, but he was removed in the final over. He scored 25 from 13 balls, including three fours and a big six, demonstrating that he can still hit the ball a long far, but it wasn’t enough to propel his team over the finish line.
Hayden, who played alongside Dhoni in the initial years of IPL, suggested Dhoni will certainly return to CSK but in the role of a mentor or other coaching staff member.
“I think this is it. I do believe that this will be the last time that Dhoni will play. Certainly, won’t be the last time that we see Dhoni. I’d be very surprised if he doesn’t mentor or be a part of the family of CSK in an official capacity,” said Hayden on Star Sports Cricket Live.
“MS Dhoni is The Thala of the Chennai Super Kings” – Matthew Hayden
MS Dhoni has been with the CSK team since the IPL’s inception in 2008, barring the two years the franchise was banned due to a spot fixing scandal. He returned to captain the side in IPL 2018 and won the tournament.
Dhoni was the first captain to win back-to-back IPL titles in 2010 and 2011 and only stepped down as captain in 2022 and 2024.
Hayden further talked about Dhoni’s illustrious career and called him the Thala of CSK.
“I suppose the thing is when you come to the end of your career, whether it is the last part of his career or not, what you don’t want to see is diminishing returns as an athlete. Firstly, as a leader, he is The Thala of the Chennai Super Kings. This is telling me that nothing here is about becoming anything else other than first place,” he added.
Hayden asserted that it’s not easy to do the job of hitting the balls at the fag end, but he has the brain and the power to do it.
“He’s desperately using his brains, all of that cricket knowledge. And of course, the power is there and that’s always been MS Dhoni. He’s always hit balls at this stage of an innings. At the front, you can understand how players can hit it. But at the back, it’s really hard to hit balls,” Hayden added.
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