Chennai Super Kings (CSK) opener Shane Watson hailed skipper MS Dhoni, saying he is an "evergreen cricketer" who continues to go from strength to strength despite his age.
Dhoni, 39, hasn't played any form of competitive cricket since last year's World Cup semi-final against New Zealand.
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While speculations have been rife over his future at the international level, CSK remains faithful of Dhoni's undoubted ability with the bat, gloves and as a leader of men.
"MS still loves playing. He is an evergreen cricketer and it feels like he just doesn't age. Look, with the kind of skills he has and the hard yards he puts in, MS can go on and play into his 40s," Watson told Times of India.
"MS has been able to manage his body well. The way he is able to run consistently and showcase skills behind the stumps are just incredible. I am a big fan of MS and would want to see him continue playing whether it's for CSK or internationally," he added.
Not many are giving CSK the chance to reclaim the trophy, but Watson believes the Dhoni-factor and the nature of surfaces in UAE will work to the team's advantage.
"CSK's chances are as good as all the other teams," he said. "Our team's biggest plus has been the presence of experienced players and some exciting younger players. We have a terrific side led by MS Dhoni and coach Stephen Fleming. With the kind of balance that our side possesses, I see no reason why we can't have a terrific season ahead."
"The pitches are going to be on the slower side. We have some high-quality spinners in our side and we should be able to capitalize."
Watson also recalled the heartbreaking one-run loss to Mumbai Indians (MI) in the last year's IPL final where he was CSK's most flourishing batsman. He said that is something the team will have to overcome mentally and start off fresh.
"It's always shattering to come this close to winning the tournament like we did in the final against Mumbai Indians last year," he said.
"MI was one of the dominant teams in 2019, and for us, to have come this close was a terrific effort."
"There were so many positives for us from the last season and we will look to take that and start afresh this year," Watson concluded.
The IPL 2020 kickstarts on September 19.
