'The bond between MS Dhoni and Chennai is truly heartwarming' - Former cricketers praise legacy of India legend in IPL

The Champions Trophy will be coming to an end this weekend and the next tournament Indian fans will look forward to will be the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. The 10-team league will begin on March 22 and run till May 25 in its 18th edition.

A team that has one of the highest fan following is the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and the heart of the team is the legendary Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Dhoni has won five titles as CSK skipper and is loved by the people of Chennai who appreciate all the contributions he has made towards the team.

Former cricketers and experts have talked about the legacy of the 43-year-old wicketkeeper-batter, sharing their views on the legacy and bond of Dhoni with the team.

“The bond between MS Dhoni and Chennai is truly heartwarming. It’s rare for a player from another city to be embraced so completely as one of their own," Aakash Chopra said as quoted by JioHotstar.

Similarly, former India batter Ajay Jadeja also highlighted the love and affection that fans in Chennai shower on Dhoni.

“It’s been a beautiful journey. When the IPL started in 2008, every team had its own icon—Yuvraj Singh for Punjab, Virender Sehwag for Delhi. No one could have imagined back then that Dhoni would become the son of Chennai,” Jadeja said.

Also Read - IPL 2025: Chennai Super Kings (CSK) Schedule 2025, Time Table, Timings, Dates, Venues Details

MS Dhoni earned that status: Anil Kumble

The other expert who talked about MS Dhoni and his journey was former legendary spinner Anil Kumble who has also praised the keeper-batter. Kumble reckoned it was a given that Dhoni would achieve cult status in Chennai after he brought laurels to CSK.

“Tamil Nadu has a history of hero worship, so it was only a matter of time before MS Dhoni earned that status, where fans truly idolized him,” Kumble said.