MS Dhoni Farewell Match Date, Confirmed Thala Dhoni Will Play his Last Match on 14th May at Chennai

Despite speculations, MS Dhoni’s retirement date from IPL is now confirmed. The former Indian Captain is going to play his last game on 14th May 2023 at the Chepauk Stadium in Chennai. This news is going to cause a massive uproar in the cricketing world. Dhoni, who has been a part of the IPL for the last 15 years, is known as the “Thala” among Chennai fans.

In case the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) don’t qualify for the playoffs then Thala Dhoni’s last match will be against Kolkata Knight Riders. The Schedule of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 is released on Friday setting the stage for MS Dhoni’s Farewell Match. CSK is going to start its campaign against Gujarat Titans on 31st March 2023.

Latest News on MS Dhoni’s Final Match

Although Dhoni has not confirmed anything yet there are reports that IPL 2023 is the last season for Dhoni as a player. InsideSport reported quoting a CSK official that this year’s Indian Premier League is going to be the final tournament for MS. He hasn’t officially said anything to the management. The return of the IPL to Chennai is a special occasion for all CSK fans. But it will be a sad moment for the management because Dhoni is to play his final season

Last IPL Match Date of Mahendra Singh Dhoni

MS Dhoni’s Farewell Match Date depends upon the journey of Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the year’s IPL. If CSK fails to qualify for the playoffs then Dhoni’s Last IPL Match will be against KKR on 14th May 2023.

On the other hand, if CSK went on to play the playoffs or final then Dhoni’s farewell match date will change accordingly. The final match of IPL 2023 is on Sunday, 28th May.

Most Iconic Captain for CSK and IPL

MS Dhoni Joined Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the first season of IPL in 2008. He was the most expensive player in the IPL for the first season. Under his captaincy, CSK won four IPL titles in the 2010, 2011, 2018, and 2021 seasons.

He also led CSK to the 2014 Champions league T20 triumph. We can say that MS Dhoni and Chennai Super Kings is like a great Bollywood movie story. A dark phase came when CSK was banned from the IPL due to the spot-fixing saga. Dhoni was stripped of the captaincy in his new franchise Rising Pune Supergiants.

CSK and Dhoni made a grand comeback in IPL 2018 by winning the tournament after defeating Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Final. It is hard to imagine CSK without Dhoni. However, this fairytale is now coming to an end because Dhoni is officially retiring from the IPL.

MS would want to say goodbye to IPL on a high. So, we are expecting some fireworks from Thala this season. Also Check MS Dhoni Net and Biography

Best Fit To Lead CSK After Dhoni

It is a common belief that captaincy is the most important part of a team. It is the captain who takes the team forward and also takes the team out of trouble. In 2008, Dhoni was appointed as captain of CSK and since then he has done a great job, leading the team to victory in many tournaments.

After MS Dhoni’s Retirement from IPL, CSK had a big decision to make. They need to find a new captain for the future of the team.

CSK is often criticised for having a large number of players who are currently in their 30s. However, this can also be a blessing for them. They have many players with experience playing in more than 100 T20 games. So, they have multiple options to captain CSK after Dhoni.

Probable Captains for CSK

Ben Stokes – For many experts, Ben Stokes is the obvious choice for CSK. He has a lot of experience with the England Cricket Team and many other T20 franchises. If Stokes steps into the captaincy role he can bring CSK back to the top.

Ajinkya Rahane – Another option that CSK can consider is Ajinkya Rahane. Rahane has been in the IPL for many years. He also has an impressive record with the bat in IPL and other domestic tournaments.

Ruturaj Gaikwad – For the last few years, there is a trend of having young captains among IPL teams. CSK can also follow the trend and choose Ruturaj Gaikwad as the captain. Gaikwad has been with the team for many years now. Plus, he is amongst the most successful batsmen for the franchise.

Ravindra Jadeja – Although it is unlikely to happen, CSK has the option of going back to Ravindra Jadeja. You might know that Jadeja got captaincy from MS Dhoni the last season. But, the decision backfired and the team lost multiple games on the trot.

CSK Officials’ Take on Captaincy Options After MS Dhoni

If we go by the statements of CSK officials, we can say that Ben Stokes will lead CSK after Dhoni. They were ecstatic after getting Stokes in the IPL auction.

One of the officials said “ In addition to winning the0 match, Stokes is a great leader. MS is in charge of selecting his successor. There is always a problem of combination with a foreign player leading a team. Additionally, all-rounders are a bit to deal with. It will be a problem if Ben does not receive a NOC the following year. Therefore, a young Ruturaj cannot be ruled out”

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