MS Dhoni, the former and longest-serving Indian cricket captain, will be 44 this July. Now he’s thinking about what comes next after his time as a professional cricketer. Fresh off that recent victory, Dhoni’s CSK achieved a magnificent win over the Gujarat Titans, 83 runs. He followed that up with advice on several aspects of when to think about retirement.
In the recently concluded Indian Premier League (IPL) season, CSK finished at the bottom of the table under Dhoni’s leadership, raising questions about his future in the sport. Even when things don’t go well for the team, Dhoni panics not. He knows that he has “four or five months” to make the calculation of whether or not to continue in the game.
Dhoni shared his thoughts on the physical demands of cricket, stating, “Every year, it’s 15% more effort to keep the body fit – not to forget this is top-level cricket.” This is a testament to the heightened challenges he’s been up against as he has aged and continued competing at a high level.
Following the game against the Titans, Dhoni reiterated that he’s in no hurry to make an announcement about his cricketing future. “There’s no hurry to decide what needs to be done,” he stated, indicating he will take his time to evaluate his options. He highlighted the importance of assessing personal motivation and fitness: “What is important to see is how much hunger you have, what kind of fitness you have, and how much you can contribute to the team, and whether the team needs you or not.”
This year, through 13 innings, Dhoni has just 196 runs with a high of 30. His performance continues to be scrutinized as fans and analysts weigh his contributions against the backdrop of CSK’s overall performance.
Dhoni’s leadership proved prophetic when CSK was forced to suspend. This was a big boost after Ruturaj Gaikwad’s injury earlier in the season. He is intent on going back to his indigenous hometown of Ranchi after the match. There, he’ll take some long deserved R&R and maybe try out some new bikes.
As one of cricket’s most remorseful, Dhoni’s moves will continue to be under scrutiny from the public and journalists as given cricket’s iconic figure. The coming months will be critical as he assesses both his physical readiness and desire to continue playing professional cricket.
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