Former Indian bowler turned commentator Irfan Pathan has accepted ms dhoniOn his work ethic during the Indian Premier League, it was also said that this is the right time for this veteran wicketkeeper to hand over the command to the younger generation.
Pathan believes that Dhoni's presence in the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) dressing room will still be a big boost for the rest of the team as the five-time champions enter their transition year. The focus in the CSK camp has clearly shifted from experienced players to young players full of potential.
Nowhere was this shift more evident than in the recent mini-auction when CSK paid Rs 14.20 crore each to acquire the services of two uncapped youngsters in Prashant Veer and Karthik Sharma. Therefore, Pathan wants Dhoni to play the role of mentor for these exciting players.
“As soon as the IPL comes, we start seeing Mahendra Singh Dhoni again, which means he is fully prepared for it, and he looks very fit too. We have seen him taking responsibility for many years, but I think it is time to hand it over to players like Ayush Mhatre, Dewald Brewis, Shivam Dubey and Ruturaj Gaikwad, who is also a young captain. The ideology of CSK has changed. It will be important for the youngsters to learn from MS. Dhoni's experience, and taking the players forward with him,” Pathan was quoted as saying on JioStar.
“On paper this is a very exciting team. In terms of ability and intent to hit sixes, I am really looking forward to seeing the fearlessness of this young CSK,” he said.
The 44-year-old Dhoni still remains a key player for CSK ahead of the 2026 IPL season. The former captain is still one of the best wicketkeepers in the tournament and the prospect of moving down the order is also dangerous.
The right-handed batsman is starting his 17th season in yellow. However, CSK may have already started preparing for their lives after trading Sanju Samson to Rajasthan Royals in exchange for Sam Curran and Ravindra Jadeja.
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