Super Kings skipper Dhoni in no rush to decide IPL future

AFP

Chennai Super Kings captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said he is in no rush to make a decision about his Indian Premier League (IPL) future after the 41-year-old guided his team to their 10th final in 14 seasons.

Four years after quitting international cricket, Dhoni remains the league's most popular player, his presence guaranteeing impressive support for Chennai even away from home.

Dhoni has reinvented himself as a lower-order power-hitter to remain effective despite being well past his prime.

Media reports say it could be Dhoni's last IPL season but the wicketkeeper-batsman remained coy about his future after overseeing Chennai's progress to Sunday's final in Ahmedabad.

"I don't know, I have eight to nine months to decide, the small auction may be around December, so why take that headache right now?" Dhoni said, after Chennai beat champions Gujarat Titans in Tuesday's qualifier.

"I have ample time to decide."

The former India captain, who led the side to two World Cup titles, has been hampered by knee issues this season and wore a brace in the match against Gujarat.

"I will always be there for CSK, whether that is in the playing form or sitting somewhere outside... I don't really know," Dhoni said.

"Frankly, it takes a heavy toll. I have been out of home for literally four months... It takes a lot, but I have ample time to decide."

Dhoni is known for his astute leadership, ice-cool temperament and innovative field placements but he described himself as an "annoying" skipper.

"I can be a very annoying captain because I shift the fielder one or two feet here and there every time," he said.

"Imagine you are fielding and every two balls or three balls, I am like, 'Okay two feet to your right, three feet to your left.' It can be annoying.

"The only request I ask from the fielders is 'keep an eye on me. If you drop a catch, there won't be any reactions but just keep an eye on me'."

More from Sports News

  • India lead England by 244 runs in Edgbaston test

    India finished day three of the second test on 64-1 to lead England by 244 runs after they dismissed the hosts for 407 in the first innings at Edgbaston on Friday despite Jamie Smith's commanding and unbeaten knock of 184.

  • Grand Slam champions Keys, Osaka crash out of Wimbledon

    There were to be no Fourth of July celebrations for American Madison Keys as she joined the exodus of seeds from Wimbledon with a 6-3 6-3 defeat by 104th-ranked German Laura Siegemund in the third round on Friday.

  • Liverpool's Diogo Jota mourned in hometown wake

    Prime Minister Luis Montenegro joined members of Diogo Jota’s family for a private wake on Friday in the Liverpool footballer’s hometown in northern Portugal following his death alongside his brother Andre Silva in a car crash in Spain.

  • Cilic takes Agassi's tried and tested route to get back into winning form

    Catching a millionaire Grand Slam champion in action on the second-tier Challenger Circuit is a rare sight, especially since cheering fans and creature comforts are in short supply when compared to the glitz and glamour of the main ATP Tour events.

Blogs