There is no doubt that Mahendra Singh Dhoni is in the pantheon of Indian cricketing greats. His place in Indian cricket history is etched forever. He had won it all as India skipper and has nothing else left to prove to anybody.
He was the quintessential Mr Cool with his unflappable captaincy be it team India or his IPL franchise Chennai Super Kings. And results speak for themselves and need not be told again.
Like his several admirers , i have found it rather difficult to see him play at the Tata IPL 2024 and and this year’s Tata IPL 2025. It is not the MSD one knew . Yes with age the sharpness or agility reduces. MSD is 43 and soon will be 44 . It is normal . Ageing is a process one cannot stop from happening. The decline in MSD batting prowess has hurt the team Chennai Super Kings big time .
His loyal ardent fans still would vouch that MSD despite with age still has massive crowd following and it is his presence that is brings the crowds for CSK games . It could be well true. No doubt crowds throng the stadium to get a glimpse of MSD and the camera too zooms to the CSK dug-out or the dressing room to show MSD warming up sending fans into frenzy . The ovation he is getting is spectacular. But IPL is not only about ovation . Results too matter.
In the last Tata IPL 2024 MSD came lower down the order hit one or two maximums but could not carry the team over the line with the bat which he used to do often taking the match deep . There were flashes of razor sharp stumpings too, MSD hogged the limelight but his team CSK finished fifth on the points table.
In 2022 season of the IPL , MSD surprised all as he stepped down as Skipper and named all- rounder Ravindra Jadeja as the Captain. It shocked many . Many thought Ravindra Jadeja would lead the CSK in the future year’s. But dramatically Jadeja stepped down mid- way thorough the season as CSK were faltering and MSD made his return as skipper. Jadeja one noted was then only Skipper only on paper as MSD directed the field placements from behind the stumps. This captaincy flip flop and the larger than life MSD sura spelt a doom for Jadeja’s captaincy and the team .
In Tata IPL 2025 Chennai Super Kings have been found wanting as a team . Skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad is facing the heat over selection of playing and form of senior players. MSD has batted in different positions and lower as much as number 9 against RCB . It has rankled fans. Equally baffling is CSK Head coach Stephen Fleming’s defence of MSD when he was quoted as saying that MSD cannot bat for more than 10 overs. Which makes wonder how MSD is keeping wickets then for 20 overs?.
With four losses in five matches ( till the writing of this column) CSK faces a tough ask qualifying for the play – offs. It will be now or never in the future matches. The onus lies withe team management of CSK how they want to move ahead. Whether they will still bask in the adulation / ovation of MSD or will ask him to bat higher up the order to see that team wins .
One hence feels for genial CSK Skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad and Head coach Stephen Fleming . Asking MSD to move on is certainly no easy task. Tough call has to be taken in team’s interest. Moreover, when an Individual performance/ presence overtakes the larger team goal then it is simply nothing but massive self- goal. The CSK obsession with MSD is iam afraid pulling the team down. So for the men in yellow it is time to ponder and mull future options.
