Did MS Dhoni play a season too many? Many feel that the CSK captain should have retired after winning the IPL 2023; however, his supporters say that age is just a number and there was no reason for him to retire if he felt that he could contribute to the team's success.

Legendary Sunil Gavaskar also touched on the topic and said Dhoni's decision to play would have been based on what's best for the CSK. He also said that Dhoni's future decisions will also be in the best interest of the team.

"Any player makes decisions not so much for himself, but for what is likely to be good for the team. Whatever decision MSD made about playing this season would have been based solely on what’s best for CSK,” Gavaskar said in an exclusive chat with Sports Today.

“Any future decision he takes will also depend entirely on what’s good for CSK—not necessarily what’s good for himself.”

CSK had a poor IPL 2025 and became the first team to be knocked out of the playoff race. The team lacked quality and lost eight out of the first 10 games. Gavaskar also revealed how CSK can bounce back in the next season and advised the franchise to get the auction strategy right. He said the franchise should focus more on strengthening the bowling attack.

"First and foremost, they need to get their auction strategy right. I'm not too sure their scouting team is as effective as those of other franchises. That said, scouts shouldn’t rely solely on leagues like the Jharkhand League, UP League, or others like them. Success in those leagues, often played on smaller grounds against relatively ordinary bowling attacks, doesn’t necessarily translate to higher levels,” Gavaskar said.

“Many players who dominate these leagues with big hitting often fail when they face international-quality bowling. So, if you’re scouting talent, focus more on the bowlers. Strengthening the bowling attack is critical—if your bowlers can restrict the opposition and consistently take wickets, you have a real edge,” Gavaskar added.

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