IPL 2025: 'Thoda Aur Bhaiya' - Sanju Samson Reveals His Thoughts When Talk of Veteran MS Dhoni's Retirement Arises

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Indian wicketkeeper-batter and Rajasthan Royals (RR) skipper Sanju Samson on Wednesday (February 19) turned a fan, revealing that he wants Mahendra Singh Dhoni to continue playing whenever there is speculation about veteran stumper's Indian Premier League (IPL) future.

Since his international retirement in 2020, the talk about MS Dhoni's playing future arises during every IPL season, and the former Indian captain, who has kept any call close to his chest, is all set to enter the IPL 2025 campaign at 43-years-old.

While many may feel it's the right time for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) veteran wicketkeeper to call time on his playing career, Samson like most of Dhoni's staunchest of supporters and admirers want him to continue playing.

Speaking about what goes through his mind when people discuss Dhoni's retirement from the IPL during the Dhoni app launch event in Mumbai, Samson said, "When Dhoni is playing in the IPL, people keep talking about when he is retiring; in my mind, I am like "thoda aur bhaiya".

Ahead of the 2025 IPL season, Dhoni was retained as an uncapped player by CSK at Rs 4 crore after the IPL governing council reintroduced the rule ahead of last year's mega auction, allowing franchises to retain players in the uncapped category if they have not played international cricket for five years.

Since his retirement in 2020, Dhoni has only appeared in the IPL. He captained CSK to the title in 2021 and 2023 before handing over the captaincy to Ruturaj Gaikwad ahead of the last edition in 2024.

In the 2024 season, Dhoni scored 161 runs at a strike rate of 220 and an average of 53.66 in 11 innings, staying unbeaten eight times and fulfilling the role of a finisher for the five-time champions.

Dhoni is the sixth-highest run-getter in IPL history, with 5.243 runs in 264 matches and 229 innings at an average of 39.12, a strike rate of 137.53 and 24 fifties. His best score is 84*. Other than CSK, he also played for Rising Pune Supergiant (RPG), a now-defunct-franchise, from 2016-17.

Dhoni is expected to link up with CSK camp as they prepare for the upcoming IPL 2025, where they will open the campaign against rivals Mumbai Indians at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on March 23.