Mahendra Singh Dhoni confirms he has not played his last game for CSK

Mahendra Singh Dhoni will be back in the IPL next year. The World Cup-winning captain confirmed it himself at the toss of Chennai Super Kings‘ final game of the season here on Sunday. Dhoni made the customary toss tradition a memorable one for his countess fans by confirming that he will be back in the yellow jersey next season.

“Definitely not,” said Dhoni when asked by former New Zealand pacer Danny Morrison if the game against Kings XI Punjab was his last for CSK. As expected, his terse response sent social media into a frenz.

However, the 39-year-old Dhoni was expected to play the IPL for at least two seasons after announcing his international retirement on August 15 after the T20 World Cup, to he held in Australia in October-November, was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Dhoni’s final India appearance happened to be the 2019 World Cup semifinal against New Zealand.

CSK have had their worst season ever this year and are set to finish at the bottom of the table. It is the first time that the three-time champions have not made the play-offs, showing their remarkable consistency over the years. The IPL next year is scheduled to be held in the usual April-May window but the dates could change due to the evolving COVID-19 situation around the world.