What Dhoni is achieving at 43 is remarkable, says Ruturaj Gaikwad

CSK player M.S. Dhoni and Noor Ahmad during the practice session ahead of Tata IPL match between Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians at MAC Stadium on March 22, 2025.
| Photo Credit: R. Ragu

Chennai Super Kings skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad was astonished at the “remarkable” ability of legendary MS Dhoni to keep contributing for the team at the age of 43 and hoped he will deliver “crucial knocks” for his side in this IPL.

M.S. Dhoni will most likely bat at the lower-order for CSK just as he did in last year’s IPL when he usually came at No. 7 or 8.

“A lot of new players have joined the team and sometimes they struggle to strike the ball as good as he is striking it right now. So, definitely it inspires a lot of us including myself,” Gaikwad told the media on the eve of CSK’s opening IPL match against arch-rivals Mumbai Indians.

“So, whatever he is doing at the age of 43, I think it is remarkable. We have certain strengths that we have been following since the last two years. So, I think nothing much really changes and hopefully he will continue to deliver those crucial knocks for us,” he added.

Gaikwad said Dhoni has been training at nets with that particular role of a lower-order hard-hitter in mind.

“I think his training is very much limited to whatever he tries to achieve or whatever his role would be in the IPL. So, it is pretty much very simple, focused on trying to hit as many as sixes as possible and trying to get the right swing, trying to be in the best shape.

“That is what I think initially he was trying to do and then I never thought he was out of shape. If you see now, even Sachin Tendulkar is batting (in the Master’s league) as great as he is right now at the age of 50. So, I think there are still many years to go (for Dhoni),” he noted.