MS Dhoni, the captain of the Chennai Super Kings, dropped a hint that he might be up for something new as he posted a cryptic message on Facebook, saying that people better be ready for a new role for their beloved cricketer in the new season of the IPL.
Dhoni and the Art of Surprise Announcements
Dhoni has always made surprise announcements in his career, be it losing his long hair after the T20 World Cup 2007 victory or trimming his hair completely after the ODI World Cup 2011 victory.
—Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) March 4, 2024
He even announced his retirement from Tests in the middle of an ongoing series in Australia and then retired from ODIs and T20Is during the pandemic, when everybody was asking for a farewell match for him.
It was thought that CSK winning the IPL in 2021 would mean the end of MS Dhoni's IPL career too, but that was not to be as he said that he would rather take a moment to be in India and then bid farewell to his fans.
It was two seasons in a row and even after winning IPL 2023, he continued to keep the fans guessing as to when the 42-year-old will finally say goodbye to the game as a player.
Will Dhoni Turn to Mentoring?
Dhoni, who had a knee operation ahead of the start of the 2023 edition of the IPL, gave up the captaincy in 2022 and then took over the reins from Jadeja in the same season. In 2021, Dhoni was the mentor of the Indian cricket team for the T20 World Cup. However, the stint was not successful at all as India failed to reach the knockout stage.
Will Dhoni turn to the role of mentor? It's hard to believe. Dhoni has been recently roped in by many brands and therefore it could very well be a new brand gimmick as well.