It was a proud moment for MS Dhoni, winning his fourth IPL title, as he led Chennai Super Kings to a title victory in IPL 2021. Meanwhile, the 40-year-old has commented on his future.
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) emerged out on top again as it defeated former champion Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by 27 runs in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 final at the Dubai International Stadium on Friday. Consequently, it was CSK's fourth IPL title and the same for skipper MS Dhoni, with all his four coming with CSK.
Meanwhile, fans dearly hope for the 40-year-old to continue leading CSK next season. However, they are unsure, as the mega auction is set for the new season, along with a couple of new teams, while Dhoni has commented on if he would continue.
He began by heaping praise on KKR for their incredible turnaround this season. "Before I start talking about CSK, need to talk about KKR. Difficult to come back and do what they have, if any team deserved to win the IPL, it's KKR. Huge credit to the coaches, team and support staff. The break really helped them," he told post-match.
"We have to decide what is good for CSK. It's not really about me being there in the top three or four, whatever the retained number of players is. It's about making a strong core and making sure the franchise doesn't really suffer because it will be an auction where you have to make a team for the next ten years. Definitely, in 2008, the core group carried on for more than ten years. We'll have to have a hard look as to... in the next ten years, who are the people who will contribute in a similar manner," he added.
Speaking on the final, he reckoned, "Every final is special. But also, if you start looking at the stats, you may say we are the most consistent team that loses in the finals because that is also a fact. But, there have been a few finals where we lost because of that one brilliant performance or a span of 15 minutes where something happened, and we lost the game."
"I feel it's very important to come strong, especially in the knockout stages. Give performances where you don't let the opposition creep into the game. That's something that we made a conscious attempt to do. I hope that in the coming seasons, CSK will be known for that: when you've got a chance to win the game, very plain and simple, win it and move forward," he added.
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On being asked about individuals performing in the side as a unit, Dhoni said that the one-on-one conversations help. He also credits the intense practice sessions that helped the side keep up with the rhythm and momentum.
"You can't really win without having a good team. But also individuals. Once you get into the knockouts, it changes from a team sport. It also becomes an individual sport. You may come up with ten minutes of special performance, and that can really help you win the game. It is a team sport, but the moment you get into the knockout, make sure that if you are somebody who is doing well, you keep doing well. And, if you have not contributed a lot, it could be the one or two performances that really help the team win the trophy," he concluded.