Australian legend Ricky Ponting reckons Chennai Super Kings (CSK) might deliberately rest MS Dhoni in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) season.
According to Ponting, this tactic could help CSK utilize Dhoni's experience and skills most effectively. Notably, the wicketkeeper-batter was among the six players retained by CSK ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction.
The five-time champions used the uncapped player rule to retain Dhoni for only INR 4 crore. Having last played for India in the 2019 World Cup, the 43-year-old fulfilled this criteria.
Dhoni may have passed on the leadership baton to Ruturaj Gaikwad earlier this year, but he continues to be an integral member of CSK's leadership group.
“Two seasons ago he probably had his worst season, but then last year again, he bounced back into really impacting some games like the MS Dhoni of old,” Ponting said on the recent episode of The ICC Review.
“I think it will be exactly the same now…they might not get him through the whole season. They might think about leaving him out for a game and resting him up here and there to make sure that they’re getting the best out of him,” he added.
Ponting is aware of Dhoni's worth, not just as a player but also as a mentor and leader. He believes Dhoni's presence will be crucial for CSK, be it on the field or outside of it.
“Any team that he's in, whether he's captain or not, he's always going to be a mentor and a leader around that group, whether he’s playing, whether he’s sitting on the sidelines, that’s just who he is…he’s crucial to Chennai, for that leadership that he brings on and off the field,” he stated.
Ponting highlighted Dhoni's ability to maintain a high level of performance right through his illustrious career. No wonder, he rates Dhoni among the best players in the game.
“The best players are the ones that are able to maintain such a high level for a long time…for 10, 12, 14-year careers.”
Ponting also emphasized Dhoni's adaptability and the way he continues to make an impact despite not always facing a large number of deliveries.
“He’s actually batting the last 20 balls of an innings now but still showing that you can make a big impact on the game by doing that,” he remarked.
Besides Dhoni, skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad, veteran all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, swashbuckling left-hander Shivam Dube, and Sri Lankan pace sensation Matheesha Pathirana were the other four players retained by CSK last month.
By retaining five players, the franchise subtracted a total of INR 65 crore from their overall purse of INR 120 crore. The Super Kings now have INR 55 crore left in their kitty for the grand auction, where they can use the RTM card to retain a removed player.
