Dhoni on IPL future: Nothing to decide now, will take a call later

Kolkata: Chennai Super Kings captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni says "there is no escaping the fact" that he is in the twilight of his IPL career but a decision on his future will depend on how his body responds to the pressure of hard work in the next six to eight months.

The former India captain, who is being met with a sea of adoring fans in yellow at every venue he goes to, is well aware of the emotions and his passionate followers' desire to be there when he plays his last game.

"That is the love and affection I have gotten throughout. Not to forget I am 42 (43). I have played a long time. A lot of them don't know when it is going to be my last time, so they want to come and see me play," Dhoni said after CSK's two-wicket win over Kolkata Knight Riders here on Wednesday.

Dhoni, who underwent a knee surgery in 2023, has continued to battle fitness concerns. CSK head coach Stephen Fleming recently admitted that the veteran "can't bat 10 overs running full stick." All of this has contributed in building speculation that the ongoing season is his last outing in the league.

The enigmatic wicketkeeper-batter said he is fully aware of where he stands in his storied career right now but will not make a decision without deliberating hard over it and fully assessing his fitness.

"There is no escaping the fact (that I am in the last phase of my career). After this IPL gets over, I have to work hard for another 6-8 months to see if my body can take this pressure.

"Nothing to decide now but the love and affection I have seen is excellent," Dhoni said.

The win was only the third of CSK's disappointing season marred by inconsistency. With play-off hopes dashed, Dhoni said the focus is now on testing bench strength.

"There were a few things that did not go our way. You could get emotional about it, talk about the pride factor but you have to be practical about it.

"(You) want to be competitive but you also want answers - which batter can fit where, which bowler can bowl where, according to the conditions and all. When we started, hardly anyone was scoring.

"We are out of the tournament, so you give them a chance, see how they react. It is the approach, the mental toughness that you want to check. The most technically-correct batter does not always score the runs, if you have good awareness...there is a chance to be consistent."