'My fans will take care of it' - MS Dhoni addresses dealing with pros and cons of 'Thala for a reason' trend

Cricketer MS Dhoni is one of the most sought-after athletes even after four years of his international retirement. He continues to appear for Chennai Super Kings in Indian Premier League (IPL), a team he led for 15 years, and fans throng to the stadium to have a glimpse of him in person. The veteran is synonymous with number 7 as he donned the jersey numbered the same all his life.

With number 7 holding prominence in his life with respect to his birthdate and month being the same, his ardent fans termed anything related to the digit with him. This fervour gave birth to an internet trend called “Thala for a reason”. The former India skipper was queried about the same during his recent public appearance. He quipped that fans hold the reins to defend and applaud him, whether the term is meant to pull his leg or otherwise.

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"I do know, but I don’t know the reason behind it. I’m unsure whether it’s funny, meant to pull my leg, just banter, or a meme. But whatever it is, I think my fans have turned it into something positive for me. I've got brilliant fans, so I don't need to open my mouth to say anything. They're the ones if they feel somebody has been nasty to me, they take care of it. So, I'm just keeping quiet and trying to play good cricket," said Dhoni at Rigi's promotional event.

It is worth noting that, the admirers of the wicketkeeper-batter are waiting with a bated breath to see the legend feature in IPL 2025. As the retention date ahead of the mega auctions is nearing, Chennai Super Kings CEO, Kasi Viswanathan has stirred the hornet’s nest by saying that the former CSK captain has not zeroed down the decision yet. Moreover, he added that Dhoni has decided to reveal his decision on October 31.