Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will begin the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season against arch-rivals Mumbai Indians (MI) on March 23, and their five-time IPL-winning captain MS Dhoni is gearing up. Easily one of the most popular cricketers on the planet, the IPL is now the only tournament in the year that Dhoni plays. Just a week of the start, Dhoni has given fans of his and CSK a teaser, with a video of him nailing the timing in practice going viral on social media.
The video shows Dhoni standing up to a short delivery and clobbering it, with the ball making a sweet sound when connecting with the bat.
Dhoni’s timing left fans in awe.
Video: MS Dhoni nails a six in CSK practice.
The Sound of the Bat on Ball ! #MSDhoni #WhistlePodu #CSK #IPL2025
via @ChennaiIPL pic.twitter.com/0QEN7Mtw2T
— Saravanan Hari (@CricSuperFan) March 14, 2025
Mahi bhai is here to win
— Yash (@Staid_99) March 14, 2025
Wow what a sound
— (@abhi7781_) March 14, 2025
Dhoni, 43, will turn out for his 18th season in the IPL. As CSK captain, Dhoni has lifted the IPL title on five occasions, with the most recent one coming in 2023.
After the 2023 season, Dhoni handed over the captaincy of the franchise to opener Ruturaj Gaikwad. CSK finished fifth in Gaikwad’s first season as captain, in 2024, narrowly losing out to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in their final league game.
Dhoni enjoyed a good year on a personal front. While batting mostly at No. 7 or 8, Dhoni slammed 161 runs at an average of 53.67 and a superb strike rate of over 220.
Reportedly nursing an injury during IPL 2024, fans will be hoping that Dhoni can bat higher up the order during the IPL 2025 season.
Having retired from international cricket in 2019, Dhoni has now spent more than five years as a retired player, allowing CSK to retain him as an uncapped player ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction.
Dhoni had earlier hinted that he may have a few years left in him.
“I’ve retired since 2019, so it has been quite some time. What I’ve been doing in the meantime is I just want to enjoy cricket for the last, whatever few years, you know, I will be able to play,” Dhoni had said last month, during the launch of his app powered by Single.id.
“I want to enjoy it, how I did as a child when I was in school. When I lived in a colony, 4 o’clock (in the afternoon) was sports time, so we’ll go and play cricket more often than not,” Dhoni had said.
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