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NEW DELHI, Mar 10: Former Australia opener Matthew Hayden says the upcoming IPL will be "celebrated like no other" by Chennai Super Kings as their talisman MS Dhoni will be potentially making his last appearance as a player in the franchise-based T20 league. The former Indian skipper has been captaining the CSK since the league's inaugural edition in 2008, leading them to as many as four triumphs.
Speaking to Star Sports, Hayden said, "See CSK, they notoriously find a way to do things unique and special. Take their hiatus out of their IPL, it was unfortunate the two years they weren't playing, and they came back the year after that to win the IPL, it was most unexpected. And they have a way!
"MS Dhoni has a way of revitalising, revamping, making it just a completely different look and feel to the side, even though it's had this great tag of having complete trust in few players and having retained most of their players.
"So for MS Dhoni, I think this year in particular, it's going to be a year celebrated like no other. It's the finish I believe of the legacy of MS Dhoni and he will want to go out in style with his fans, who'd want him to go out in style as well."
The upcoming edition of the IPL starts from March 31.
Hayden spoke on the return of the Chennai Super Kings to the Chepauk Stadium in what would probably be Dhoni's final campaign as a player in the IPL.
"2023, here we go again! The IPL is on and it's also in every venue across India post Covid. It's going to be remarkable, just the amount of supporters, the Yellow Army that is going to pile into the Chepauk Stadium.
"And they are going to be the same side that's going to be very difficult to beat at home as well. Their record at home, at Chepauk, is undeniably the best in the IPL.
"That venue is a fortress. And they are going to have MS Dhoni as their captain, arguably for the last time and that's going to be one of those moments that no one is ever going to forget.
"He has especially stayed on in the IPL to say goodbye to his fans at Chepauk and they are going to turn up like you just couldn't imagine."
Dhoni, who led India to two World Cup triumphs, retired from international cricket in August 2020. |
