IPL 2025: Chennai Super Kings (CSK) legend MS Dhoni is facing some heat this IPL season—and not the good kind. With the team off to a shaky start in 2025, fans and experts alike have started pointing fingers at the 43-year-old wicketkeeper-batter. Whispers of retirement are getting louder, but former Aussie skipper Ricky Ponting isn’t buying it. Now head coach of Punjab Kings, Ponting is throwing his weight behind Dhoni, calling him “dangerous” and far from finished.
Dhoni’s been a rock for CSK over 17 thrilling IPL seasons, dazzling with his cool-headed batting and lightning-fast glovework. But this year, the headlines have flipped. Critics are zeroing in on his lower batting slot and the team’s up-and-down form, with some even saying it’s time for the former captain to hang up his boots. Chennai’s rough patch has only fueled the fire.
Ponting, though, isn’t having it. Speaking to The Indian Express during their Idea Exchange, he praised Dhoni’s knack behind the stumps, saying, “His keeping’s not getting any worse—I can tell you that. He’s not missing a beat standing up to the spinners. He’s as good as ever.” For Ponting, doubting CSK’s faith in Dhoni makes no sense. “You don’t argue with CSK. They’re one of the IPL’s winningest teams. They’ve got steady coaching and usually nail their calls,” he said.
So, what about those retirement rumors? Ponting thinks it all boils down to Dhoni’s bat this season. “He’s been coming in late the last couple of years—just 10 or 12 balls to make a splash. If his batting dips, maybe that’s a convo. But right now? He’s still dangerous,” Ponting insisted. With the IPL’s impact player rule letting Dhoni follow big hitters, Ponting sees no reason to panic.
CSK head coach Stephen Fleming agrees. After a recent match, he brushed off the retirement talk with a grin. “That’s not my job to end it. I’m just enjoying working with him. He’s still going strong. You guys are the ones obsessed with asking!” Fleming said, leaving Dhoni’s future wide open.
For now, the spotlight’s on Dhoni to silence the doubters. Can the man who’s steered CSK to glory time and again pull off another stunner? Ponting’s betting yes—and he’s not alone in hoping the “dangerous” Dhoni proves he’s still got it.
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