Dhoni should never announce retirement from IPL, says Gavaskar

Speculation is rife that veteran wicketkeeper-batsman MS Dhoni may announce his retirement from the Indian Premier League (IPL) soon.

Though Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have remained tight-lipped regarding Dhoni’s future plans with the franchise, team CEO Kasi Viswanathan has repeatedly stated, “I don’t know,” while expressing hope that Dhoni will return next year to play for the Yellow Brigade.

In response to the development, as Dhoni’s 43rd birthday approaches on July 7, former India great Sunil Gavaskar believes that the cricketing icon may have already made a decision about his future. A viral tweet suggests that Gavaskar wishes for Dhoni to never retire, proposing a transition to a more advisory role akin to the Davis Cup, where players contribute to the team without necessarily playing in every match.

“I feel he will make a big announcement on July 7. MS Dhoni should never announce retirement from the IPL. Instead, he should stop playing in it. Whenever Dhoni feels fine, he can return to the league. Even BCCI will not be able to stop him as he will not retire from the tournament,” said Gavaskar.

Notably, CSK failed to enter into the playoff of IPL 2024.