RR vs CSK: I’ll be back next year, says MS Dhoni

MS Dhoni, on Friday, put an end to his retirement speculations, saying that he would come back strong next year. The Chennai Super Kings captain also spoke about how it would be unfair not to thank the fans in Chennai.
Ahead of CSK’s final game in this IPL, against Rajasthan Royals, toss presenter Ian Bishop asked Dhoni whether he would be returning next year.
“Definitely. It’s a simple reason; it will be unfair to not play in Chennai and say thank you. Mumbai is one place, whereas a team and as an individual I have got a lot of love and affection. But it wouldn’t be nice to the CSK fans. And also, hopefully, next year there will be an opportunity where the teams will be travelling so it will be a like thank you to all the different places where we will be playing games at different venues,” the CSK skipper replied.
The IPL would return to its traditional home and away mode next year and from Dhoni’s comment, it felt like that next season would be his swansong as a player, through a pan-India thanksgiving.

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Dhoni preferred to keep a bit of mystery though. “Whether it will be my last year or not that’s a big question because you know we can’t really predict about something two years down the line, but definitely I will be working hard to come back strong next year.”
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The Indian Express had earlier reported that the CSK management expected their captain fantastic to be back as a player and leading the team next year. Ravindra Jadeja was the franchise’s preferred transition route, which didn’t work out. Dhoni had to return as captain mid-season.
The player himself had dropped a hint last week that he would be back next term. “… we have a few positives that we will take into the next season. But what is important is that whatever gaps are there, to try to fill in those gaps so that leakages don’t happen,” he had said at the post-match presentation, after CSK’s return-leg fixture against Mumbai Indians. Today, Dhoni confirmed it.