"He is a genuine leader" - Ex-cricketers preview MS Dhoni's comeback in IPL 2024

MS Dhoni will be making a comeback in IPL 2024 as he gears up to lead Chennai Super Kings. CSK are the defending champions having won the title in 2023. They have in fact won the title twice in the last four seasons in 2021 and 2023.

Chennai Super Kings bought six players in the IPL 2024 auction namely, Rachin Ravindra (Rs. 1.8 crores), Shardul Thakur (Rs. 4 crores), Daryl Mitchell (Rs. 14 crore), Sameer Rizvi (Rs. 8.40 crores), Mustafizur Rahman (Rs. 2 crores), Avanish Rao Aravelly (Rs. 20 lakhs). They rebought Shardul Thakur who grew as a cricketer playing under MS Dhoni. CSK invested heavily in Kiwi overseas stars Rachin Ravindra and Daryl Mitchell.

Former Indian cricketers S Sreesanth and Sanjay Manjrekar spoke about MS Dhoni and what makes him the captain that he is in a special segment with Star Sports. Star Sports anchor Jatin Sapru also shared his admiration for MSD as did commentator and former Kiwi cricketer Simon Doull.

MS Dhoni Is Very Old School In Modern World: Sanjay Manjrekar

Sanjay Manjrekar praised Dhoni for understanding his limitations with the bat last season and using his experienced bowler superbly last season and making them matchwinners.

“Highlight for me was that his batting he knew how much his batting is going to offer. It was amazing to keep coming down the order and his captaincy is still very sharp, very old school in a very modern world. That is what separates Dhoni from everybody else” he said.

Sreesanth lauded the CSK skipper for giving inspiration and backing the youngsters. He also spoke about how he brought about the best from the likes of Shivam Dube and Ajinkya Rahane last season.

“That influence, that inspiration that gives to youngsters, Dhoni bhai lots of respect. Any individual would love to have Dhoni bhai next to him. Shivam Dube was short of runs while playing for India but he brought the best out of him. as he did with Ajinkya Rahane” Sreesanth said.

Further in the video clip, Manjrekar praised how MS Dhoni used his inexperienced bowlers throughout the tournament. He spoke about how he used the likes of Tushar Deshpande, Matheesha Pathira, and Maheesh Theekshana to the tee.

“You know when the season started, one one gave his bowling attack too much importance, everybody thought that it was an inexperienced bowling attack. Tushar Deshpande started off expensively, he tried Hangargekar, Pathirana and also Maheesh Theekshana. Dhoni kept backing them and turned them into good bowlers” said the former Indian batter.

Simon Doull talked about MS Dhoni’s leadership skills and what makes him the best captain in the tournament. Dhoni was also chosen as the captain of the best-ever IPL team unanimously by a group of former cricketers and coaches recently.

“He is a genuine leader, he very rarely ever lets a situation overawe him. He still thinks calmly about it, speaks to the right bowlers, put the fielders in the right spot so many times. I think the way he controls the game even when you might think he is behind the game is the biggest effect that MSD will have on CSK and the Indian team”.

MS Dhoni has played 250 IPL games and scored 5082 runs at an average of 38.79 and a career strike rate of 135.92. He has scored 24 fifties in the format hitting 349 fours and 239 sixes.

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