Despite mounting speculation about his retirement, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) sources reveal that former Indian captain MS Dhoni is prioritising treatment for a muscle tear. According to IANS, Dhoni is likely to visit London to get his muscle tear treated. This decision comes after CSK's heartbreaking loss to Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on Saturday, eliminating them from the IPL 2024 playoffs.
This marks only the third time the five-time champions will miss the playoffs. Following the 27-run defeat at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Dhoni's immediate exit from the field with an unbeaten 25 off 13 balls fueled rumors about his future plans. However, it seems his focus has shifted to recovery, with a decision on his cricketing career likely coming after treatment.
As per the sources privy to the development, Dhoni's decision on retirement will hinge on his recovery from the surgery he'll undergo in London.
“Dhoni might head to London for his muscle tear surgery which saw him struggling during the IPL. He is not fully fit but wants to continue to play cricket and he will only decide about his future after treatment which will take him five to six months to recover,” sources told IANS.
CSK suffered an agonizing defeat at the hands of RCB to sign off IPL 2024. They needed 219 runs to win their crucial match against RCB. They got off to a shaky start, but managed to recover in the middle overs thanks to a solid 61-run knock from Rachin Ravindra. However, their momentum stalled again, and despite a valiant 42* from Ravindra Jadeja and 13-ball 25 blitzkrieg from Dhoni, CSK fell short of the target. This loss had a devastating impact on their season. Though they finished the league stage with 14 points, the same as RCB, CSK's inferior net run rate meant they missed out on a playoff berth. This triggered speculation amongst fans and experts alike, wondering if this might be MS Dhoni's final season with the franchise. However, the veteran captain remained silent on the matter and returned home after the match, leaving his future plans a mystery.
Dhoni's approach to batting shifted in IPL 2024. Recovering from an arthroscopy surgery, he was seen coming to bat down the order, mostly at no.8 and no.9, during the tense death overs. Despite this change, Dhoni continued to be a crucial force for CSK, crafting impressive cameos. Across 14 matches, he managed to score a remarkable 161 runs, remaining unbeaten a staggering eight times. This impressive feat pushed his batting average for the season to a very healthy 53.67.
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