‘Don’t Leave Without Winning Trophy’ – Ambati Rayudu Makes Emotional Appeal to MS Dhoni

MS Dhoni’s future in the Indian Premier League (IPL) remains up in the air, but former teammate Ambati Rayudu believes the legendary cricketer has at least one more season left in him.

CSK’s IPL 2024 campaign ended in disappointment on Saturday after a narrow 27-run defeat to Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).

Chasing a daunting 219 for victory, CSK fell short despite a valiant effort. The loss sparked questions about Dhoni’s future, with the iconic wicket-keeper batter walking off the field visibly frustrated.

Speaking on Star Sports Cricket Live, Rayudu dismissed the notion of Dhoni’s retirement.

“I don’t think this is his last game. He can play one more season and win the IPL,” Rayudu said. “He wouldn’t want to end on this note.”

Impact Players Might Help Dhoni To Play One More Season

Rayudu, who won three IPL titles under Dhoni’s leadership at CSK, believes the newly introduced “impact player” rule could be a game-changer for Dhoni. This rule allows teams to substitute a player after the toss, potentially allowing Dhoni to play a more impactful role in the later stages of the innings.

“The impact player role gives him the opportunity to come in those last few overs and truly make that impact,” Rayudu explained.

The ex-CSK batter even went a step further, urging the BCCI to retain the rule: “BCCI better not remove the impact player role because we still want to see MS Dhoni play. So it’s up to the BCCI now. Do we want to see MS Dhoni play or not?”

While CSK’s campaign ended in heartbreak, RCB continued their remarkable turnaround, securing their playoff berth with a sixth consecutive victory. They will now face Rajasthan Royals in the eliminator game.