Former CSK captain and legend MS Dhoni has not played a single match in the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League, touching off huge chatter surrounding his absence because he remains one of the biggest names associated with Chennai Super Kings. Dhoni, who has been the face of CSK for more than a decade, was expected to continue in a limited playing role this season.
However, with the tournament now reaching its final phase, he has still remained absent from the playing XI. Moreover, there has been no official update on whether Dhoni will play CSK's next match, which is against SRH on Monday at MA Chidambaram Stadium. Despite Dhoni being on the sidelines, his advice has been highly effective, and recently he spoke about the advice he gave to incumbent CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad.
“What I told Rutu was to run CSK the way he wanted to run it. That’s how I have run CSK for a very long time. And I always felt it’s a game where the captain has to make the decisions. Yes, there are coaches and support stuff, but it’s not like football where the manager decides. In cricket, it’s about the captain and he has to decide,” Dhoni said.
“Yes, there will be certain things that he will pick from the from the way I used to lead. But individuals are different…Whatever you feel is your style, you have the full liberty over here to decide,” Dhoni stated.
“I’m very open, I’ll come and talk to you, but you don’t have to do even one thing that I speak to you about. Let’s say I come up with ten pieces of advice, if you don’t follow even one, that is fair enough. When you are the leader, you have and how you want to use it,” Dhoni added.
Now, it only remains to be seen whether MS Dhoni will play in CSK's high-stakes game on Monday.