Age catches up with even the evergreen Dhoni

Athletes keep fighting against the fading light but eventually age catches up. One of Chennai’s favourite sons and a legend in world cricket is grappling with this truth.

When Chennai Super Kings (CSK) put out a message on social media that its talisman M.S. Dhoni is likely to miss the first two weeks of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 due to a calf strain, the old maxim time and tide wait for none, came to the fore again. Ruturaj Gaikwad may captain CSK but its spiritual leader has always been Dhoni.

Fans clad in yellow at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium may celebrate almost every player at Chepauk, but unabashed love is entirely reserved for the star from Ranchi. It is a tie that has been in vogue since the IPL’s inception in 2008.

At 44, Dhoni has practised the art of the gradual fade-out. As the Indian skipper, he retired from Tests in 2014, his last hurray in the blue shade in limited overs cricket was in 2019. Even with CSK, he relinquished his captaincy stint, while still extending his alliance with the game.

One of the joys of an unrelenting Indian summer with its heat and mangoes is to see Dhoni seemingly hoodwink time. He keeps with alacrity and wades into bat for a few deliveries, besides offering critical insights to his team. Almost every year, he also features in a chat with Harsha Bhogle, where retirement is discussed without much being revealed.

In Sanju Samson, CSK has an aggressive batter and wicketkeeper. Still, over the next fortnight the Chennai franchise will sweat over Dhoni. The great Kapil Dev hobbled away with an injury in 1994, which forced his retirement. Hopefully, Dhoni will find his second wind, especially in the IPL’s latest edition that stretches till May 31.