Former India player Sunil Gavaskar recently shared his views on whether MS Dhoni might have played too many seasons in the IPL. The legendary wicketkeeper-batter, who’s turning 44 this July, was part of his 18th IPL season in 2025. Dhoni stepped back in as captain of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) after Ruturaj Gaikwad got hurt midway through the tournament. Unfortunately, he couldn’t turn things around, and CSK missed out on the playoffs for the second straight year.
Gavaskar discussed Dhoni’s choices, saying that he always puts the team first. “Any player makes decisions not just for themselves, but for what’s best for the team. Whatever decision MSD made about this season would have been all about CSK,” he told Sports Today. “Any future decisions will also depend on what’s good for CSK, not just on what’s good for him.”
He also offered some advice on how CSK can bounce back next season. Gavaskar believes they need to change their auction strategy and pay more attention to finding good bowlers. He suggested that CSK should focus on bowlers instead of batters during the auction, warning against picking batters who do well in local leagues on smaller grounds. “They need to get their auction strategy right. I’m not sure their scouting team is as sharp as those of other teams. Scouts shouldn’t just look at leagues like the Jharkhand League or UP League. Success in those leagues doesn’t always mean success against tough international bowling,” Gavaskar said.
He added, “Many players who excel in those leagues struggle against top-quality bowling. So, if you’re scouting talent, focus more on bowlers. Building a strong bowling attack is essential. If your bowlers can restrict runs and take wickets, you will have a real advantage.” The Super Kings have a chance to play for pride when they take on Rajat Patidar’s Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on Saturday, May 3 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Download the CricInformer app
Take CricInformer with you. Get our app for cricket news and updates on your phone.