The speculations about the Indian Premier League (IPL) future of MS Dhoni persist as the player gears up to play yet another season. Dhoni, who has led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for a record-equalling five titles in the tournament, will once again be donning the yellow jersey, this time for IPL 2024. Speaking about the veteran player, ex-India and CSK all-rounder Suresh Raina said he wants his former teammate to continue playing in IPL for another five years. Meanwhile, Raina added that when Dhoni stops playing for CSK, he will in the dugout of the team with a different role.
“The biggest question is who’ll be their next captain? Even if Dhoni stepped away as captain, he’ll be in the dugout whether it’s as a mental toughness coach or just for his presence. But the question is, who is he going to nurture?” Raina said in an episode dedicated to the Dhoni on JioCinema.
“This is a pivotal year for CSK. Who does MS have his eyes on? Ruturaj Gaikwad is a good option. This year is a very important year for CSK, more than for MS Dhoni.
“Because we’ll see who he is going to select as his deputy and probably say: ‘You handle this now, I’ve been looking after the team since 2008. You take care of the yellow, I will wear the jersey and sit in the dressing room’.
“It’s important now to see how he plans for the future. He’s 42 years old. I would love to see him play for five more years, or at least two or three more years.”
The IPL starts on Friday with reigning champions CSK taking Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the opening game.
