The five-time Indian Premier League (IPL) champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) faced an early elimination from the playoffs race this season. CSK have managed to win just two out of 10 matches and are languishing at the bottom of the points table. After Ruturaj Gaikwad was ruled out of the tournament due to injury, MS Dhoni taking over the captaincy role did not change CSK's fourtunes either. Amidst their poor run, there has been criticism around a 43-year-old Dhoni extending his IPL career. Many including former India batter Manoj Tiwary and Australian legend Adam Gilchrist feel that Dhoni should have retired by now. However, former India batter Sunil Gavaskar has defended the wicketkeeper-batter saying that he decided what's best for CSK.
"Any player makes decisions not so much for himself, but for what is likely to be good for the team,. Whatever decision MSD made about playing this season would have been based solely on what’s best for CSK,” Gavaskar said on Sports Today.
After the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) made a few rule changes before the mega auction, CSK could retain their former captain as uncapped player for Rs 4 crore. Dhoni had not played international cricket in more than five years and was eligible to be retained as an uncapped player. Gavaskar feels that Dhoni will make a selfless decision going forward.
“Any future decision he takes will also depend entirely on what’s good for CSK—not necessarily what’s good for himself,” said the legendary Indian batter.
Dhoni's batting numbers in IPL 2025
Dhoni scored 151 runs from 10 innings at an average of 25.16. His strike rate is 148.03. The lower-middle order batter's high score in the season is 30 not out. In the last five innings, he has managed to score 48 runs.
Gavaskar's mini-auction advice to CSK
Gavaskar wants CSK to rework their auction strategy and focus on getting good bowlers, not just batters who hit big sixes in state franchise leagues.
"First and foremost, they need to get their auction strategy right. I'm not too sure their scouting team is as effective as those of other franchises. That said, scouts shouldn’t rely solely on leagues like the Jharkhand League, UP League, or others like them. Success in those leagues, often played on smaller grounds against relatively ordinary bowling attacks, doesn’t necessarily translate to higher levels,” the 75-year-old said.
“Many players who dominate these leagues with big hitting often fail when they face international-quality bowling. So, if you’re scouting talent, focus more on the bowlers. Strengthening the bowling attack is critical—if your bowlers can restrict the opposition and consistently take wickets, you have a real edge,” he concluded.
Meanwhile, CSK gear up to go up against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on May 3 at M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru. The match may get washed out as there are 70 per cent chances of rain.