Chennai Super Kings’s hopes of qualifying for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 playoffs were dashed on Thursday as the side stumbled to a five-wicket loss against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium. Batting first, CSK were bundled out for 97 as Daniel Sams returned with three wickets. Skipper MS Dhoni was the lone ranger for CSK as he played an unbeaten knock of 36 but he did not get the desired support at the other end and ran out of partners. Speaking after the game, former India skipper Sunil Gavaskar said that Dhoni is still keen to do well for the franchise hence he expects him to play in the next season as well.
“Well, I mean, look at the way he has played. He is clearly showing he is keen, still enthusiastic about the game. In the field, what is sometimes most telling is that when you get to 8-9 and you are looking to sort of give up the game, but here he was running between the overs, he was running from one end to the other, and it shows he was keen to get the next over done,” Gavaskar said on Star Sports after the game.
“He sensed an opportunity with those 2-3 early wickets but we have seen him do that regularly which means ‘definitely not’. That’s what Dhoni had said when Danny asked him (in 2020),” he added.
During CSK’s last league stage game in 2020, commentator Danny Morrison had asked Dhoni whether that match would be his last in yellow. To that question, Dhoni had replied: “definitely not.”
Before the start of IPL 2022, Dhoni had stepped down as CSK skipper and Jadeja was given the reins of the team. However, eight games into the season, captaincy was given back to Dhoni as Jadeja wanted to focus on his own game.
Promoted
Before the game against SunRisers Hyderabad, Dhoni was once again asked about his future, to which he had replied: “Well I said last time also, you will definitely see me in the yellow jersey. Whether it is this yellow jersey or some other, you will have to wait and watch.”
CSK are currently at the ninth spot in the IPL points table with 8 points from 12 games.
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