CSK skipper MS Dhoni on Wednesday said he would need to spend some time thinking about his Indian Premier League (IPL) future, preferring to assess his body's readiness after putting in hard work over the next 6-8 months.
Overwhelmingly popular among fans who fill stadiums with yellow where he is appearing, the great ex-India captain acknowledged the end of the finishing line of his playing days is nearing, and the uncertainty of his final game creates the hype.
"That is the affection and love that I have had throughout. Not to forget that I am 42 (43). I've played long time. They do not know when it would be my last match, so they want to come and watch me play," Dhoni replied following CSK's two-wicket win against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).
Even post-knee surgery in 2023, Dhoni continues to experience fitness problems. CSK head coach Stephen Fleming recently conceded that the veteran wicket-keeper can no longer sustain high-intensity batting for long durations, saying Dhoni "can't bat 10 overs running full stick."
There is no denying the reality (that I am reaching the end of my career). Once this IPL finishes, I need to struggle hard for the next 6-8 months to see if my body can handle this sort of pressure. Nothing to consider now but the love and love which I have seen is great," Dhoni further added, reiterating that he wishes to make a well-informed decision post the season.
The win against KKR was just CSK's third in a season plagued by inconsistency. Having lost the chance at the playoffs, Dhoni stated that the team is focusing on evaluating the depth in terms of players.
"There were a couple of things that didn't go our way. You can be emotional about it, speak about the pride factor but you need to be practical about it," he explained.
Just concentrating on where the 25 players are going to fit in. Want to be competitive but you also want solutions - which batter can fit where, which bowler can bowl where, depending on conditions and all. Nobody was scoring when we started.".
"We are out of the tournament, so you give them a chance, see how they react. It is the attitude, the mental toughness that you would want to test. The technically-best batter is not necessarily the one getting the runs, if you have a good sense … there is a chance to be consistent."
In contrast, KKR's narrow loss has provided them with a very slim hope of making it to the playoffs. Considering their position, their skipper Ajinkya Rahane kept it simple: "It is pretty simple, now we have to win two out of two, let's see what happens from there."
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