India’s Mahendra Singh Dhoni may have signed off from international duties but he’ll be at the heart of the action in the Indian Premier Le...
India’s Mahendra Singh Dhoni may have signed off from international duties but he’ll be at the heart of the action in the Indian Premier League – a tournament he helped inspire, and where he remains a towering figure.
Dhoni, who has led the Chennai Super Kings to three titles and five runner-up finishes in the IPL’s 12 editions, will feature in the opening match on Saturday against the Mumbai Indians, the defending champions.
The game comes more than a year after the 39-year-old last played for India in their semi-final loss to New Zealand in the 2019 World Cup.
After much speculation, the wicketkeeper-batsman finally announced the end of his 16-year international career last month.
And without the pressure of having to play well to keep his place in the national team, the flamboyant Dhoni is expected to shine in UAE, the IPL’s temporary home as India battles a rampant coronavirus problem.
“He is very fit and I believe he is working very hard on it. Plus he has stopped playing international cricket so there will be less burden on his body,” said Saba Karim, another former India wicketkeeper.
“Global cricket still needs an icon like MS Dhoni to continue.”
Dhoni’s captaincy began with India winning the inaugural T20 World Cup title in 2007,...
