MS Dhoni enjoys a massive fan following across India. The 42-year-old is currently plying his trade in the IPL 2024 for Chennai Super Kings (CSK).
Speculations are rife that this could well be his last IPL season and, thus, Dhoni is getting warm reception and loud cheers in all the venues he is travelling to with the CSK side.
In particular, the Chennai fans makes deafening noise whenever Dhoni takes the field. In fact, the crazy fans sometimes cheer the dismissal of their own team's batters so that they can see their favorite Thala wielding the willow.
On Sunday (May 12), CSK played their last league match of this year’s IPL at Chepauk. After the game, Dhoni and his teammates took a lap of honour at the iconic MA Chidambaram Stadium to acknowledge the support of their loyal fans.
Amid the loud cheers and chants, Dhoni received a special medal from the CSK management before he was seen hitting a few signed tennis balls into the crowd.
The official broadcaster of the tournament, Star Sports, shared a video of Navjot Singh Sidhu in which the former cricketer-turned-commentator hailed the legendary status of MS Dhoni in his unique style.
"The world bows to the strong, not to the weak. It's the thoughts that count. Thoughts can make humans god or demon. All the miracles in the world are of thoughts. Your thoughts are the real interpreters of your actions," Sidhu said in the video.
"Aur ye sakaraatmak soch ki parikaashtha hai, Himalaya parvat hai, ek yugpurush hai. And when he will retire from the game, an era will end. It's rare that mothers give birth to a great man and the stature of that great man grows and spreads like a cult, the legend grows, it happens every second. And the world always remembers great people like an institution. Mortals like me will come and go but an institution like Dhoni will continue to inspire generations to come and will be immortalized," he added.
Meanwhile, Chennai Super Kings moved up to the third spot with a convincing five-wicket victory over Rajasthan Royals at Chepauk on Sunday.
Opting to bat first, the Royals posted a below-par 141/5 in 20 overs on a two-paced track. Riyan Parag was the top scorer with 47* off 35 balls.
Medium-pacer Simarjeet Singh starred with the ball for CSK, claiming three wickets by conceding 26 runs in his four overs.
In reply, the hosts overhauled the target with 10 deliveries to spare. While skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad anchored the chase with 42 not off 41 balls, the likes of Rachin Ravindra (27) and Daryl Mitchell (22) chipped in with handy contributions.
With this victory, the defending champions also kept their playoffs hopes alive. They will next face Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on May 18.
