Credit: IPL/BCCI
MS Dhoni, the former Indian captain, who is a part of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for the 18th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), is likely to play for the franchise as an impact player this year. As per the sources close to SportsTiger, the 43-year-old, who has captained CSK to five IPL trophies during his illustrious captaincy tenure, won’t be keeping wickets for the franchise, and with that, they will be needing to draft in a wicket-keeper batter into the playing XI.
Notably, MS Dhoni has been one of the most famous personalities in Indian and world cricket for the better part of last two decades, and he is in the twilight stage of his professional career. With that, despite his hard work and dedication behind the scenes to maintain peak fitness to play in the IPL 2025 for CSK, the Ranchi-born cricketer must have understood what’s best for him physically to go through the season, which is why he must have taken the decision to be an impact player.
CSK have won four out of last five IPL meetings against MI
CSK are scheduled to take on their arch-rivals Mumbai Indians (MI) in the first match for both the teams in the IPL 2025 season, which will be played on Sunday, March 23, at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. These two teams have won the joint-most IPL trophies in their history with five each to their name, and a win over one another could go a long way for them to clinching the sixth trophy this season.
Over the course of their illustrious rivalry, MI have had the upper hand over CSK, winning 20 matches out of 37 in the IPL, with their first match dating back to the summer of 2008. But, in the recent years, CSK have beaten MI in four of their last five meetings, and ahead of the IPL 2025 opening match for both the teams, the absence of captain Hardik Pandya due to suspension and Jasprit Bumrah due to rehabilitation could prove to be costly for Mumbai against Chennai at the Chepauk.
