MS Dhoni, widely known as "Captain Cool," is celebrated for his ability to maintain a calm demeanor even in the face of adversity. This characteristic, coupled with his strategic acumen and unwavering self-belief, has solidified Dhoni's reputation as one of the greatest leaders in the history of cricket. Notably, Dhoni holds the distinction of being the only captain to have led his team to victory in all three major ICC white-ball tournaments - the T20 World Cup (2007), the Cricket World Cup (2011), and the Champions Trophy (2013). Furthermore, Dhoni has steered the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to a record-equalling five Indian Premier League (IPL) titles.
Recently, Dhoni's former India and ex-CSK teammate, Subramaniam Badrinath, shared an intriguing anecdote about the legendary player. Badrinath recounted a rare incident in which Dhoni, typically known for his composure, momentarily lost his cool.
"He is also a human...he has lost his cool," Badrinath told InsideSport.
"But that has never happened on the field. He would never let the opposition know that he had lost his cool. In this match against RCB in Chennai, we were chasing 110 odd. We lost wickets in a cluster there and we ended up losing the match.
"I got out to a lap shot against Anil Kumble. I was LBW. So, I was standing inside the dressing room, and he was coming inside, where there was a small water bottle. MS just kicked it out of the park. We all just couldn't make eye contact with him," Badrinath added.
As the IPL mega auction approaches in just a few months, the uncertainty surrounding Dhoni's future in the tournament remains a topic of speculation. Despite rumors of his retirement, the player has chosen to remain silent on his potential participation in IPL 2025.
The upcoming mega auction poses a challenge for the CSK franchise if they decide to include Dhoni as a player. At 43 years old, Dhoni retired from international cricket in August 2020 and is nearing the end of his cricketing career. Therefore, it may not be in the best interest of CSK to retain him, as it would take up one of the limited slots available to the franchise before the auction. However, CSK also values the leadership and experience that the legendary captain brings to the team.
The decision regarding Dhoni's future with CSK will undoubtedly be a crucial one for the franchise as they navigate the complexities of team composition and strategy leading up to the mega auction.
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