MS Dhoni's retirement plan runs into intervention from Michael Hussey: 'He likes to build the drama a little bit'

It's the retirement season. James Anderson announced his farewell a couple of days back, Virat Kohli's emotional address on vanishing once he calls time, followed by Sunil Chhetri drawing curtains on his career is not the week sporting fans one would have expected. But similar to playing and creating countless memories, retirement too is a tough reality of every sportsman's life. No matter how hard they try, father time spares no one, and Kohli would be no exception.

Talking about retirement, another name that has given the R-word a swing is MS Dhoni. The legendary Dhoni is 42, and while he has made no official statement about it, IPL 2024 could mark the end of the whatever last cricket remains Dhoni has left in him. Last year would have been the ideal exit, having led CSK to a record-equalling fifth title, but the love and admiration of the fans was such that it left Dhoni with no choice but to commit to another hurrah. Whether it is the final one… remains to be seen though.

Dhoni's knee is giving him a tough time and the management is looking after his workload management. Besides, with Ruturaj Gaikwad already having taken over the reins, what's left of Dhoni to achieve? If CSK go on to win the title this year, that's it. But even if they don't, it'll take nothing away from the legend of Dhoni.

Having said that, Michael Hussey, the former CSK batter and batting coach, feels Dhoni may still have some gas left in the tank. Hussey wants Dhoni to carry on for another couple of years, but the final decision is Dhoni and Dhoni's alone. He may be talked into by the owners or CSK's upper brass to perhaps think about it, but if he has made up his mind, rest assured, that will be it. At the end of the day, A major chunk of CSK's fanbase is driven by Dhoni alone. So once he goes, that goes away too. Dhoni being Dhoni, if and when he decides to retire, he will do it when people are least expecting it… like always. Hence, Hussey is not counting on it.

"Your guess is as good as mine at this stage. He keeps his cards very, very close to his chest. We are hoping he does keep going. He is still batting so well. He does prepare well - he gets into the camp very early and hits a lot of balls. He has been in good touch all season really. I guess we just got to try to manage him from the body side of things. He had a knee surgery after the last season. So he has been managing that from the initial stage of the tournament," Hussey said on the Around The Wicket podcast.

"From a personal point of view, I hope he keeps going for another couple of years. But we will just have to wait and see. He is the only one who will make that call. And he likes to sort of build the drama a little bit as well. So I wouldn't expect a decision anytime soon."

Vintage Dhoni turns back the clock

The Huss-master, as Danny Morrison used to put it, cannot be more bang on in his prediction. This IPL, Dhoni has turned back and clock and how? The veteran's power-hitting was a throwback to his days of yore with the Indian team and he has, more than once, played match-winning cameos. The 20-run over against Mumbai Indians, smoking one-handed sixes, bringing out the Helicopter and giving CSK the flourishing 'finishes'… that's Dhoni for you.

And he has displayed every bit of this this year for Chennai. There have been clamours of Dhoni batting higher, but it's just not possible because of the knee, confirmed Hussey.

"I know fans probably want to see him batting a little bit higher in the order," Hussey said, "but that [the knee surgery] is why we have had to manage him a little bit and he only comes in at the back end. But there has been no one better in being able to come in and hit the ball so cleanly from ball one than MS. He has been phenomenal," added the former Australia batter.