MS Dhoni celebrated his 45th birthday with a rare public appearance at Trent Bridge during the 3rd T20I between India and England on Tuesday. As the broadcast cameras panned to the smiling veteran, Indian cricket great Sunil Gavaskar took the opportunity to send an on-air greeting.
What happened?
Dhoni was seen in the stands during the match, drawing massive cheers from the crowd. He also offered a classic response to a fan, miming, “I'm old now. My beard has gone grey, and I can barely walk.” This gesture has fueled speculation about his future in cricket.
Why it matters for MS Dhoni
The former captain, who scored 5,439 runs in 278 matches and famously led the Chepauk franchise to a joint-record five IPL titles, has not turned out for Chennai Super Kings since the 2025 IPL season due to injury. At the ripe age of 45, there is no guarantee he will don the yellow jersey again for the 2027 edition of the tournament.
What comes next?
Fans remember the aftermath of his final appearance in India colours all too well. Following the 2019 ODI World Cup semifinal defeat to New Zealand in Manchester, where he scored a half-century but was dismissed via a narrow run-out, Dhoni withdrew from the public eye for almost a year. Then, in August 2020, after months of speculation over whether he would return to the national team, he abruptly retired, via a simple Instagram announcement.
Dhoni finished his international career with 17,200 international runs and 829 dismissals to his name, across 538 matches for Team India. The lingering fear is that his franchise career could end with a similarly sudden social media post, without any fanfare or farewell.
But, millions will hope ‘Thala’ has one last ride left in him. Gavaskar echoed the desperate sentiments of millions of Chennai Super Kings fans: "I hope he plays one more IPL season for CSK because I want to see him in the yellow jersey one last time.”
As the cricket world waits with bated breath, one thing is certain - MS Dhoni's legacy will continue to inspire generations to come.