DUBAI (AFP): Indian cricketing legend Mahendra Singh (MS) Dhoni has vowed to return for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in next year’s Indian Premier League (IPL), despite predictions of a shake-up after the team crashed out of the playoffs race.
Three-time IPL winners Chennai was the first of the eight teams to drop out of contention, raising doubts about captain Dhoni’s future with the franchise.
However, MS Dhoni maintained, who retired from international cricket in August, assured fans ahead of Chennai’s last game this season that he would return in the yellow jersey.
“Definitely not,” Dhoni said at the toss when he was asked by former New Zealand paceman Danny Morrison if the game against Kings XI Punjab was his last for Chennai. The comment set Twitter alight with the hashtag #DefinitelyNot trending in India.
MS Dhoni maintained that the CSK team – which has many over-35 players including Shane Watson and Faf Du Plessis – would need an overhaul before going into next season.
Dhoni was criticised for his go-slow batting in this edition of the IPL, which is being held behind closed doors in the United Arab Emirates due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Punjab, who had been rooted to the foot of the table for much of the tournament, ended with back-to-back defeats after a five-match winning streak had got KL Rahul’s men back into contention.
