IPL 2023: Robin Uthappa Opines on MS Dhoni’s Retirement Call

MS Dhoni, the Chennai Super Kings captain, led his team to their fifth IPL title. And, instead of retiring on a high note, he decided to return for another season if his body permitted. Dhoni, however, said that retiring after winning would be ideal but he wanted to give his fans another season, even if it required hard work on his body for another nine months as well.

“If you see circumstantially this is the best time for me to announce retirement,” MS Dhoni said at the presentation after winning the final. “But the amount of love and affection I’ve been shown wherever I’ve been this year, the easy thing for me would be to say, ‘Thank you very much’. But the tough thing for me is to work hard for another nine months and come back and play at least one more season of IPL. But a lot depends on the body, I have six-seven months to decide and it will be more like a gift from my side [to the fans]. It’s not easy for me but the way they’ve shown their love and affection, that’s something I need to do for them.”

He further added: “You do get emotional for a simple fact that it’s the last part of my career and I think it started over here when I was playing the first game [of IPL 2023]. I just walked out and the full house was chanting my name. My eyes filled with [tears] and I just stood there in the dugout for a while, and I took my time and I realised that I want to enjoy it and not take the pressure. I think it was the same thing in Chennai, when I played my last game there, but it will be good to come back and play whatever I can.”

IPL 2023: CSK was the first to qualify for the final this season

Meanwhile, MS Dhoni’s former CSK teammate Robin Uthappa has shared that Dhoni needs to go back and figure out what he needs to do to keep his body fit for the next season as well. However, Dhoni played all the matches of the IPL 2023 despite suffering from a left knee injury. He also made the IPL 2023 worth watching for his fans with his 10 sixes. He hit 104 runs off just 57 balls which came at a strike rate of 182.45 in the tournament as well.

“The thing also isâ€æ he has not stopped enjoying the game. He has the most fun when he is on the field when he is keeping. His knee, he knows he has an injury. It’s not a matter of enjoyment or a lack thereof. It’s actually about his body being fit enough and he wants to play. It’s about going back and figuring out what he needs to do.. Maybe surgery or rehab. Figure that out and then he will take a call,” Robin Uthappa said on JioCinema.

However, CSK won a record-fifth IPL title in the rain-affected 2023 final, beating Gujarat Titans by five wickets. The summit clash, which was pushed to the reserve day due to heavy rain, witnessed a thrilling show by Sai Sudharsan, who smashed 96 off just 47 balls, helping the Titans to post a massive total of 214 for four in 20 overs as well.

Later, rain also interrupted play, and CSK was set a revised target of 171 in 15 overs as well. In a nail-biting finish, CSK managed to chase down the total on the last ball, with Ravindra Jadeja hitting the winning runs as well.