"He will definitely play one more season" - MS Dhoni's childhood friend Paramjit Singh on CSK captain's retirement plans

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain MS Dhoni will return to cricketing action in the upcoming 2024 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

While the season is touted as Dhoni's swansong tour, his childhood friend Paramjit Singh believes that the CSK skipper might not retire after IPL 2024. He recently stated that the seasoned wicketkeeper-batter is still supremely fit and could end up playing for a couple of more years.

During an interview with OneCricket, Paramjit said:

"I do not think this will be his (Dhoni’s) last season. He is still fit. I think he will play one or two more seasons. He will definitely play one more season. The reason is he is fit."

It is worth mentioning that Paramjit Singh has played a big role in MS Dhoni's career. He was instrumental in the Ranchi-born cricketer bagging his first bat sponsorship deal.

Interestingly, Dhoni's recent practice videos suggest that he will play in IPL 2024 with a sticker of 'Prime Sports,' a sports shop owned by Paramjit, on his bat.

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MS Dhoni and company to take on RCB in IPL 2024 opener

The defending champions CSK will take on Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the opening encounter of IPL 2024. The much-awaited clash will take place at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on March 22.

Chennai won their record-equalling fifth IPL title by trumping Gujarat Titans by five wickets (DLS method) in last year's final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. It was a nail-biting contest, with Chennai eking out a thrilling last-ball win courtesy of Ravindra Jadeja's heroics.

MS Dhoni featured in all matches for his side, despite a troubled knee. He underwent surgery at the end of the season. He demoted himself to No. 8 in the CSK batting lineup for several games.

However, he still made a significant impact with his quickfire cameos towards the back end, mustering 104 runs from 54 balls at a fantastic strike rate of 182.45.

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