Former India captain MS Dhoni, a two-time World Cup winner, has expressed his intention to dedicate more time to the Army following his retirement from international cricket in 2019. Dhoni, currently playing for the Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League (IPL), led the team to victory in the last season.
In a viral video on social media, Dhoni discussed his post-cricket plans, stating, "I have never thought about it. I am still playing cricket. IPL, I am still playing. It will be very interesting to see what I end up doing after cricket. I think for sure, I want to spend a bit more time with the Army because the last few years I have not been able to do that," said the Chennai Super Kings skipper.
Speculations about Dhoni's retirement have been circulating, and after IPL 2023, the 42-year-old was questioned about his plans for the 2024 season. In response, Dhoni mentioned that he would play one more season. Meanwhile, CSK is gearing up for the upcoming season with significant acquisitions in the IPL Auction 2024 in Dubai. The defending champions secured the services of Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Mustafizur Rahman, and Shardul Thakur, among others.
CSK attempted to find Dhoni's successor by appointing Ravindra Jadeja as the new captain in 2022, but the plan failed. Under Jadeja's leadership, CSK remained winless in the first seven games before Dhoni took over midway through the tournament. With IPL 2024 expected to be Dhoni's last, it is unlikely that Jadeja will be considered as his successor. When asked about Dhoni's successor, CSK head coach Stephen Fleming stated that the franchise has had succession plans for Dhoni for the past 10 years. "We've had succession plans for MS for about 10 years. It is going to be a talking point, but he is as engaged and as enthusiastic as I have seen him for a while. While that passion is there for the team and franchise, we'll roll on," Fleming said in Dubai.
