Time for MS Dhoni To Come Out Of His La-la Land, Focussed RCB Players Did Nothing Wrong By Celebrating

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On a day when Royal Challengers Bengaluru scripted a perfect fairytale story by qualifying for the playoffs after losing seven of their first eight games, MS Dhoni decided not to shake hands with RCB players, and CSK fans slammed RCB for not giving their 'Thala' enough respect.

MS Dhoni for years has got the attention which hardly any Indian cricketer has got in the country. Thanks to IPL and MS Dhoni's Chennai Super Kings (CSK) fanbase which has kept him relevant despite his international retirement back in 2020.

Retirement rumours are not new to the field of sports, but the facade over Dhoni's retirement has been going on for four IPL seasons now. CSK crashed out of the IPL 2024 on Saturday, but millions are still guessing if the 42-year-old long-haired maverick is still an active IPL player? The drama reminds one of Hindi soap operas.

For a change, Harsha Bhogle did not get an opportunity to ask the traditional MSD retirement question on-air this time. Also, MSD did not get a chance to say 'Definitely Not', but once again the wicketkeeper-batter has managed to leave the 'show' on a cliffhanger. He limped inside the dressing room without shaking hands with triumphant RCB players at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday, May 18.

RCB lost six matches in a row, and then won the next six on the trot to qualify for the playoffs and register their comeback story as one of the greatest in the IPL history. They had to beat CSK by an 18-run margin to pip CSK's Net Run Rate (NRR) and qualify for the last-stage.

On a tricky Chinnaswamy surface and a 45-minute rain break, RCB posted 218/5 and then restricted the five-time champions to 191/7. The fielding was top notch, the batting was excellent, and the bowlers also did not disappoint as the defending champions failed to qualify for the IPL playoffs for only the third time in their 15 editions.

At a time when RCB's fighting spirit should be celebrated and archived as a motivational story for generations to come, MS Dhoni and his fans have displayed very poor sportsmanship.

Why MS Dhoni needs to come out of la-la land?

Knowing when to leave is one of the most important things a man should learn. Regardless of the field, this is one trait which everyone should possess to maintain their gravity. In fact, it's said that one should also know when to leave a party.

Dhoni's retirement party has been going for four years now. Someone like Usain Bolt announced his retirement date two years in advance, Roger Federer also alerted fans about his retirement without any fuss, the great Sachin Tendulkar did the same, and even Lionel Messi has made it clear that he won't be playing for Argentina in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

CSK fans and few experts and retired cricketers like Harsha Bhogle and Michael Vaughan have accused RCB players of not giving the due respect. In a video which has gone viral, MS Dhoni can be seen waiting for RCB players for a ceremonial handshake before just abruptly turning back and heading to the dressing room.

There was nothing cool about Dhoni, India's most successful white-ball captain. The way RCB turned around their campaign was unreal, and they deserved that extra 1-2 minutes to celebrate, to pinch themselves and acknowledge the home fans.

Virat Kohli was full of praises for MS Dhoni ahead of the game, while captain Faf du Plessis talked highly of him in the post-match presentation ceremony.

"We were defending 175, it got a bit close, at one stage, with MS there, I thought, oh dear, he has done it so many times," du Plessis said.

Dhoni, who knows what it takes to win IPL trophies, should have been the first person to understand the emotions of RCB players. But instead he decided to walk off.

Did the pride of being celebrated - at times ridiculously - over the years, make Dhoni act like a snob? The revered 'Thala' was for once devoid of attention and he could not take it.

MS Dhoni and CSK fans also accused RCB players for not walking up to Dhoni and shaking hands with his after his 'last innings in IPL'. But again, did Dhoni announce ahead of the match that it could be his last IPL innings? There have been occasions when the Ranchi-born star has played down retirement talks upfront.

"You've decided it is my last IPL, Not me," he had told Danny Morrison last year.

Also, should CSK players have now shown the same gesture of Dinesh Karthik, then? The 38-year-old has been part of the tournament since the inaugural edition, and equally deserves the love and attention.

People have even dared to say that RCB should have not celebrated Dhoni's wicket?! Dhoni hit a six on the first ball of the 20th over, just 11 were needed off the last five balls for CSK to qualify. Yash Dayal dismissed him on the second delivery, to keep RCB in the hunt. Who won't have celebrated then? Expecting this from RCB, who are waiting for their first title since 17 years now, is silly.

Almost 20 hours after the defeat, there is still no official declaration of Dhoni's IPL career. Like always, there won't be any anytime soon. That's how MS Dhoni has functioned over the years. But the iconic figure definitely needs to come out of la-land land, and teach himself and his fans to celebrate others as well.