IPL 2023: MS Dhoni can play IPL till 2027, says former Chennai Super Kings star Shane Watson

As
the
ten
teams
will
revert
back
to
the
traditional
home
and
away
games
across
all
the
venues,
Chennai
Super
Kings
fans
wait
for
their
adopted
son
MS
Dhoni.
The
Thala,
as
MS
Dhoni
is
known
in
the
Southern
parts,
is
a
massive
figure
and
this
year
they
will
see
their
captain
cool
for
the
first
time
in
four
years,
bossing
the
Chidambaram
Stadium
in
the
yellow
jersey.

There
have
been
rumours
that
Dhoni,
who
turns
41
in
July,
will
hang
his
gloves
after
this
edition
of
IPL.
But
Dhoni’s
former
teammate
and
former
CSK
player
Shane
Watson
has
shrugged
off
those
theories.

Watson,
who
joined
Chennai
Super
Kings
in
2017,
believes
this
year
won’t
be
the
last
of
Dhoni
and
the
former
Indian
captain
can
continue
playing
for
a
few
years.
The
former
Australia
international
is
currently
in
Doha
taking
part
in
the
LLC
Masters,
and
he
reckons
Dhoni
will
still
be
around
for
some
time
in
the
IPL.

“I
heard
that
this
is
the
last
IPL
of
MS
Dhoni
but
I
don’t
think.
MS
Dhoni
can
continue
to
play
for
the
next
three
to
four
years.
He
is
still
very
fit
and
batting
and
wicket-keeping
really
well.
His
leadership
is
something
that
is
as
good
as
his
game.
His
fitness
and
mind-reading
of
the
game
make
him
a
good
leader.
His
skills
on
the
ground
are
awesome.
He
is
one
of
the
main
reasons
that
CSK
is
successful,”
Watson
said
to

ANI.

Taking
account
of
Watson’s
comments,
Dhoni
can
be
around
in
the
IPL
as
a
player
till
2027,
which
may
seem
a
bit
far-fetched
to
few
as
he
will
be
around
45
years
old
at
that
time.
But
is
it
a
surprise?

It
won’t
be
a
bolt
from
the
blue
for
those
who
have
seen
the
former
Indian
captain.
The
fitness
level
of
Dhoni
is
still
quite
stunning,
given
he
last
played
for
India
in
2019.
Regarding
Dhoni’s
retirement,
another
former
CSK
player
Suresh
Raina
also
went
about
almost
the
same
lines
as
Watson
a
few
days
ago.

“I
wish
he
could,
but
we’ll
have
to
see
what
his
commitments
are,
He
can
play
the
IPL
next
year
as
well,
you
never
know.
He’s
been
batting
well
and
looking
fit,
it
depends
on
how
the
performance
is
this
year,”
Raina
opined
recently.

CSK
start
their
IPL
2023
campaign
with
a
date
against
the
defending
Champions
Gujarat
Titans
on
the
opening
day
of
the
new
season.
The
four-time
IPL
champions
endured
a
tough
time
in
2022
as
they
finished
at
the
bottom
of
the
IPL
table.