Regarding Indian cricketers’ fandom, several players are renowned around the globe for various reasons, such as their ability to win games for the national team, whether it’s MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, or Rohit Sharma. The New Zealand fast bowler, Tim Southee, has expressed his desire to swap the life of one of those cricketers.
In the current era of Indian cricket, the two superstars of the game- Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, are known around the globe. But a decade ago, there was a different craze for the former World Cup-winning captain of the Blue Brigade.
It’s been the same still during the Indian Premier League (IPL), as the crowd follows MS Dhoni around the country to show their love and attachment to the wicket-keeper batter, who is moving towards the end of his cricketing career.
“How life will be as MS Dhoni”- Tim Southee wonders
The experienced Blackcaps fast bowler, Tim Southee, was present at the CEAT Cricket Awards 2024 when he was asked the names of the players with whom he would like to swap life for a day. The pacer was quick enough to come up with the name of MS Dhoni, showing his desire to feel the love of one of the most beloved players around the world.
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“MS Dhoni – just wanted to see how life will be as MS Dhoni.” The 35-year-old pacer expressed at the function the question- “If you could swap lives with any other cricketer for a day, who would it be & why?”
When it comes to their head-to-head, Southee has dismissed MS Dhoni only once in ODIs, besides being smacked for 98 runs in 103 balls, while in T20Is, the batter has grabbed 36 runs in 25 balls.
Since retiring from international cricket in 2020, the veteran batter has been featuring in the IPL regularly for the Chennai Super Kings, where recently he handed over the leadership responsibilities to their young opening batter, Ruturaj Gaikwad. Despite being in his early stage of 40, the player has shown an extreme level of fitness with both bat and the keeping gloves.
The Bihar-born played his last international game during the semifinal game of the 2019 ODI World Cup at Old Trafford in Manchester against New Zealand, where he failed to carry the team over the line. When it comes to his records with the bat, he has smashed 10773 runs in 350 games at an average of over 50 and a strike rate of nearly 90, celebrating 73 half-centuries and ten centuries, with the best score of an unbeaten 183-run knock.
In the 20-over format, MS Dhoni has been part of 342 innings, managing 7432 runs at an average of 38.11 and a strike rate of over 135, notching up 28 half-centuries. He is still the only captain to win all three ICC tournaments, as he has lifted the T20 World Cup in 2007, the 50-over World Cup in 2011, and the Champions Trophy in 2013.
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The retention rules of the upcoming IPL will decide whether he will be playing another season for CSK, who are trying to bring the old rule back where a player who hasn’t played international cricket for five years could be retained as an uncapped player.
MS Dhoni has given five trophies in the league to the Yellow Army, with the most recent being in 2023. His future now stands upon the decision around the mega-auction of the IPL 2025 from the BCCI.