Every Moment With Dhoni Is Magical: Finch Urges Fans to Cherish CSK Icon Amid IPL Retirement Rumours

Add as a preferred source on Google

Chennai Super Kings' campaign in IPL 2025 came to a disappointing end as they suffered a four-wicket loss to Punjab Kings, officially becoming the first team eliminated from playoff contention. This marks the first time CSK has failed to qualify for the playoffs in back-to-back seasons, signalling a challenging phase for the five-time champions.

The season took a difficult turn early when captain Ruturaj Gaikwad was sidelined due to an elbow injury, forcing MS Dhoni to resume leadership responsibilities - not by design, but out of necessity. While the results haven't favoured the Yellow Army, Dhoni's presence continues to captivate fans.

Former Australian skipper Aaron Finch expressed admiration for Dhoni's continued involvement, saying, "When Dhoni gave up the captaincy a few years ago, I don't think he thought he'd have to deal with all this again. But it hasn't gone CSK's way this season. MS is 43, not playing much cricket, just turning up for the IPL - but every moment he's on the field is magical. The noise when he walks out of the dressing room... when he comes out to bat, it's unbelievable. I urge every cricket fan - if you can, you must go to a CSK game while MS Dhoni is still playing," Finch said during an appearance on JioStar.

In the recent defeat to Punjab, despite posting a competitive total of 190 - thanks largely to a blistering 88 off 47 deliveries by Sam Curran - CSK faltered with the ball in the latter half. Punjab's chase was anchored by Shreyas Iyer, who played a composed knock of 72, and was well-supported by Prabhsimran Singh, who scored 54. Their 72-run partnership proved decisive, sealing the win with two balls remaining.

Finch also questioned some of CSK's tactical decisions this season, particularly the limited use of Australian pacer Nathan Ellis. Despite being known for his skills in the death overs, Ellis has appeared in just one game so far - where he managed to claim a wicket against Mumbai Indians.

Finch remarked, "If CSK are admitting things haven't gone right, then yes - they need to go back to the drawing board. I can't believe Nathan Ellis hasn't played more regularly. He's a world-class bowler who can operate in all three phases. Meanwhile, Pathirana's been going around the park and not executing like he used to."

He also pointed out CSK's lack of firepower at the backend of their innings and their struggles in the field. "CSK have lacked finishing ability with the bat - you add 20 more runs today and the game becomes very different. I actually thought they had enough runs until the heavy dew came in late. But overall, the fielding has been poor, with catches going down. That puts you on the back foot - and when that happens, you need to play a near-perfect game to win," he added.