Virender Sehwag believes that MS Dhoni's legacy as the captain of Team India is hard to match and same is the case with his captaincy at Chennai Super Kings.
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Former Indian cricketer Virender Sehwag believes that veteran player MS Dhoni should play for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for one more edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The Chennai-based franchise defeated Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the final of the 2021 season, to emerge victorious under Dhoni’s leadership. CSK failed to make it to the playoffs of the 2020 edition, but completed a soaring comeback to register a fine triumph against the odds.
“It’s a phenomenal team. No one in Team India could beat Dhoni’s legacy and hopefully, it would be difficult for any other captain to do the same for CSK. I feel he has one more year left in him for Chennai. He must play next season and then retire. The legacy of the captain is known for the number of trophies he has won. And this captain [MS Dhoni] has won four titles and played 9 finals. So, to match him up will be an uphill task for any other skipper. Rohit Sharma is indeed close but to play 9 season finals, he needs more time,” said Sehwag in an interaction with Cricbuzz.
A CSK official has further confirmed that Dhoni will be the first player that the franchise will retain for IPL 2022, if provided an option.
“MS will be the first man to be retained, there is no doubt about it. But first of all we need to know the retention rules, which we are not aware of as of now. If we can retain (players), Dhoni will be first to save. Which team or franchise would not want to retain a man like Dhoni. Two new teams will be added, so it would be great to see the competition. There are many things which we will have to see but as of now I can only say that we will go for Dhoni. The rest we will see and go by rules set by the BCCI,” said a CSK source in an interaction with Sports Tak.
Sehwag believes that the involvement of MS Dhoni in the role of a mentor for the upcoming edition of the T20 World Cup, could well benefit the Indian team to a massive extent. The former cricketer played under the captaincy of Dhoni for a decade and enjoys a strong understanding about the cricketer’s strengths as a captain. The popular former cricketer believes that there cannot be a better ‘mentor’ than Dhoni when it comes to young players who often need a guide to help them express themselves on the field.
“I am very happy that MS accepted the offer to be the Team Mentor for the T20 World Cup. I know many people want that MS should again comeback into the mainstream of Indian cricket and being roped in as the mentor is the best thing that could have happened,” said Sehwag in an interaction with PTI.
“As a keeper, MS was exceptional with his understanding of field placements and this is something that will help the bowling unit in this World Cup. The bowlers can pick his brains and get useful tips on planning against a batsman. There are always players in any international side, who are shy and do hesitate to go up to their skipper and strike up a cricketing conversation. MS has always been that kind of a person who is easily approachable and also a perfect trouble shooter for youngsters,” he added.
