IPL 2021: 3 reasons why this might be MS Dhoni's last tournament
This may be hard for fans to digest, but MS Dhoni's IPL retirement news might be right around the corner. About a year after his departure from limited-overs cricket, MS Dhoni could well hang his boots from the IPL at the end of the 2021 season.
At 40 years of age, MS Dhoni is one of the oldest cricketers to be a part of the IPL 2021. With an illustrious career behind him, the legendary wicketkeeper-batsman will certainly be looking at leading his team to yet another IPL title this year - a fitting farewell for one of the most celebrated captains in cricket history.
2nd in the IPL points table, MS Dhoni-led CSK are only a few games away from securing a playoff berth. While the franchise doesn't have fond memories of the UAE - having failed to qualify for the playoffs for the first time in its history last year - MS Dhoni and his men will look to capitalize on their momentum and get their hands on the coveted silverware.
Also read: IPL 2021: 3 reasons why we're excited to see MS Dhoni in action
Three reasons why IPL 2021 may be MS Dhoni's last IPL
Dhoni may currently not be at his vintage best, but he is still an indispensable asset to the CSK franchise as a wicketkeeper-captain. As we inch closer to the UAE leg of IPL 2021, here's a list of three reasons why it may be MS Dhoni's last appearance in the cash-rich league:
#1 CSK would look to acquire fresh talent in the IPL 2022 mega auction
While MS Dhoni has been the finest acquisition by CSK, it is certainly time for the franchise to look beyond the legend now. Keeping the future of the franchise in mind, CSK will look at grooming young talent and will also be looking at alternate captaincy options once MS Dhoni retires.
With every franchise only allowed to retain up to 4 players in a mega auction, CSK would unquestionably look at building their team for the long term in the IPL 2022 mega auction.
That being said, the franchise may not be able to do justice to MS Dhoni's price tag and the keeper-batsman may himself not want to pressurize the franchise into saving a spot for him.
#2 MS Dhoni is known to promote youngsters
It isn't unknown that Dhoni is big advocate of encouraging brewing talent. More often than not, he has dropped as low as No. 8 in the batting order to give youngsters a chance in matches.
Given that he's now 40 years old, Dhoni may want to vacate his wicketkeeper and captaincy slot in the team to help other youngsters fill in his shoes. This would mean that the veteran may hang his boots and take up a mentorship role with the CSK franchise right after IPL 2021.
#3 MS Dhoni doesn't play any other form of competitive cricket
Since the 2019 World Cup, MS Dhoni hasn't played any form of competitive cricket barring the IPL. This has put him largely out of match practice and has certainly hampered his gameplay over time.
While he is still lightning fast behind the stumps, has the same brute force as ever, and has maintained his fitness levels - a lack of match practice could hurt MSD and CSK more and more in the coming seasons if he decides to continue playing.
Given his selfless nature, the CSK captain will certainly be mindful of his age-based shortcomings that may prove to become a strain on the franchise. Keeping it in mind, we could expect retirement news from MSD right after the conclusion of IPL 2021.