5 game-changing decisions by MS Dhoni that transformed CSK

There is solid evidence why MS Dhoni is regarded as one of the finest cricketers to ever grace cricket. Throughout his cricketing journey, he has been at the forefront of many iconic cricketing moments - both as batter and captain. For India, the combination of his prowess as a batter and tactical acumen has led the nation to many historic triumphs in bilateral series as well as global tournaments across all formats.

His immense popularity made him one of the faces of the Indian Premier League too. Chennai Super Kings acquired the wicketkeeper-batter's services for INR 9.5 crore ahead of the inaugural edition of the IPL in 2008. Other than the two seasons in 2016 and 2017 in which CSK were banned from the tournament, he has been an integral part of their setup.  

Ahead of the ongoing 18th edition of the Indian Premier League, Dhoni has represented CSK in 234 games. Majorly slotting in the lower middle-order, his numbers of 4,669 runs in 202 innings while possessing a strike rate of 139.12 are truly extraordinarily consistent statistics. Furthermore, he has also altered the outcomes of many games and hence shaped seasons with his cricketing intelligence and on-field presence of mind. 

Here are the five game-changing decisions by MS Dhoni that transformed CSK:

5. Pushing limits to stay fit for IPL 2025

A whole lot of individuals felt IPL 2024 would be Dhoni's last with the franchise, and that he would hang up his boots from the IPL after years of service for the franchise. Despite his advancing age, he kept at it and maintained his fitness as he has over the years. It was revealed at the end of October last year that Dhoni would be among the players retained by the franchise ahead of the mega auction in November 2024.

With the IPL rules changing, he was eligible to be retained as an uncapped player. With him already transferring the baton of captaincy after the 2023 title-winning campaign, it meant that Dhoni would play as a player. With no competitive cricket being played, Dhoni did his best to maintain his shape over these past several months. There were numerous instances where he would be spotted at his athletic best.