Suresh Raina wants MS Dhoni to play another IPL season
The speculation surrounding Mahendra Singh Dhoni's participation in the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) edition continues to do the rounds on social media. Amid the growing uncertainty, Suresh Raina, Dhoni's former India teammate and close friend, recently stated that he wants Dhoni to feature in the impending season. Raina believes that Dhoni's guidance could be instrumental in further honing the captaincy skills of Ruturaj Gaikwad.
Raina's faith in Dhoni's batting prowess
Raina, who was instrumental to the Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for over a decade, highlighted how Dhoni batted this year. He stated that "I want MS Dhoni to play in IPL 2025, considering how he batted last season." Raina believes that Dhoni still has more to offer with the bat despite playing with a knee injury.
Raina's support for Gaikwad's leadership
Raina also voiced his support for Gaikwad, who took over the CSK captaincy from Dhoni ahead of IPL 2024. He stated that "I feel Ruturaj Gaikwad needs one more year, the way he captained and a lot of things were said after the loss to RCB (Royal Challengers Bengaluru). However, Ruturaj has done a great job." Notably, the Gaikwad-led CSK missed the playoff berth by a whikser in IPL 2024.
Dhoni struck at over 220 in IPL 2024
Despite a knee injury last season, Dhoni racked up 161 runs in eight innings at a staggering strike-rate of 220.25. In every other match, he came out to bat in the final two overs, which further enthalled the crowd. Dhoni smacked a total of 13 sixes throughout the season. His future participation in the IPL is contingent on the upcoming auction rules for player retention.
Dhoni's future in IPL
Dhoni recently suggested that his participation in IPL 2025 will hinge on the retention rules for the upcoming mega auction. He stated, "There's a lot of time left for the franchises and management to decide on the retention rules and everything."
