Cricket veteran M.S. Dhoni's powers as a finisher are waning and talk of his retirement in IPL grows louder, but his Chennai Super Kings team backs their hero.
The 43-year-old Dhoni struggled in Chennai's chase of 183-6 against Delhi Capitals at their home stadium on Saturday after the wicketkeeper-batsman came to the crease in the 11th over.
Dhoni, once a master finisher for India and Chennai, made an unbeaten 30 off 26 balls in a knock that never threatened Delhi, who won by 25 runs.
Speculation about Dhoni's retirement from the Indian Premier League T20 tournament was heightened by the presence of his family, including his parents -- a rarity.
However, Chennai coach Stephen Fleming pushed back at rumours about the former captain's imminent retirement.
"I am just enjoying working with him -- he's still going strong," Fleming said, adding that it was reporters who were posing the question and not the team.
"I don't even ask these days," he said. "You guys are the ones that ask".
Dhoni has been a huge hit with the Chennai fans -- who call him "Thala", or "leader" in Tamil -- since the IPL's inception in 2008.
He led Chennai to a record-equalling five IPL titles, the last in 2023, and gave up the captaincy before last year's tournament.
Pundits believe he has lost his ability to chase down targets.
England women's player Isa Guha said Dhoni had always remained calm and "poker-faced" in the past, according to Indian website Cricbuzz.
"But... I saw frustration because he didn't get it (the shots) through, and didn't time it well," Guha said.
"He is not playing any cricket, it's IPL to IPL, so it's very hard, regardless of who you are, to hit the ground running and to be able to be playing at your peak."
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Commentator Harsha Bhogle said Dhoni is "still the best keeper in this league" but that "as a batter, it's looking (like) he is not able to play the shots that he wants to".