Ravichandran Ashwin, a spinner for the Chennai Super Kings, shared an interesting moment from a recent match against their rivals, the Mumbai Indians. It took place on March 23, and Ashwin really captured the excitement in the air when MS Dhoni came out to bat during a crucial time in the game. After one of his teammates, Ravindra Jadeja, got run out, Dhoni walked onto the field in the 19th over, and the crowd went wild! You could feel the energy at the stadium, and it was hard for anyone to focus on how serious the situation actually was.
This match was extra special since it marked Dhoni’s first return to the IPL after he took a break of ten years, so you can imagine how pumped up everyone was in the CSK camp. Ashwin expressed how he’s never seen such a warm reception for Dhoni from inside the dressing room, saying, “When MS Dhoni came out to bat in Chennai, it was so loud that we completely lost track of what was happening in the game. Dhoni has really earned all that love over the years. I rarely see that kind of reaction from the players’ side because I’d usually be in the stands.”
That match was particularly important as it also marked Dhoni’s comeback to competitive cricket after IPL 2024. There had been a lot of speculation about whether he’d keep playing, but all those questions were settled when he was kept on the team as an uncapped player just before the IPL 2025 mega auction.
Now, the game wasn’t exactly a walk in the park when Dhoni strolled in; the Mumbai bowlers were putting pressure on Chennai. Ashwin, who was all set to bat next, went to check in with his teammate Ruturaj about the state of the pitch because the team still needed four runs. He mentioned that amidst the excitement, it seemed like everyone forgot that they were still in a competitive match.
Though Dhoni didn’t get to finish the game himself, he certainly made an impact earlier during the first innings by perfectly stumping Suryakumar Yadav, the captain of the opposing team.
On a different note, Dhoni shared his thoughts on the Impact Player rule that was introduced in the IPL. Initially, he was skeptical about its necessity, but he’s come to accept it as just a part of how T20 cricket is changing over time. Even though Dhoni handed over the captaincy in 2024, he still remains a crucial figure for Chennai and stated that he doesn’t see himself as just an Impact Player, since he’s still the primary wicketkeeper of his team.
