Chennai, Dhoni and an unbreakable bond

On May 14, once the customary obligation of the post-match presentation was done after Chennai Super Kings' loss to Kolkata Knight Riders in their final home game of the IPL league phase, MS Dhoni did a lap of honour at Chepauk. A brace strapped on his left knee, the CSK skipper – his teammates and a few officials in tow – seemed in no hurry as he acknowledged every section of the Chepauk faithful.

Just a few metres away was Sunil Gavaskar, who spotted Dhoni and dashed towards him to get an autograph. Dhoni was beaming all through, happy to soak it all in.

Was this a sign of the curtain being drawn on a glittering career? With CSK's entry to the playoffs not certain then, was Dhoni acting in the knowledge that he may never step onto the MA Chidambaram Stadium as a player again?

Though CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan reiterated his belief that the 41-year-old will play next season, there will be conjecture as long as he remains secretive about his future plans. "We believe Dhoni is going to play next season as well," Viswanathan said in a video posted by the franchise after the game.

We will have to wait and watch. For the moment though, there's comfort in knowing that Dhoni will step into the yellow-hued den at Chepauk at least one more time. That will be on Tuesday when CSK face defending champions Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 1 for a shot at making their tenth IPL final.

It provides another opportunity for CSK's fans to indulge in Dhoni-worship; to turn up in large numbers with his name emblazoned on their jerseys; to make the stands at Chepauk reverberate with deafening chants of 'Dhoni, Dhoni'.

Dhoni never fails to reciprocate the affection. When the IPL didn't take place in Chennai last year due to Covid restrictions, for instance, he made it clear that he will return in 2023 because "it will be unfair to not play in Chennai and say thank you".

His fans aren't yet thinking of a future without Dhoni though. "No season will be his last. Whether he plays or not, we are happy as long as we see him. We have never thought about a day without Dhoni," says CSK fan Saravanan Hari, a familiar figure in the stands during their matches with his body painted in bright yellow.

Dhoni has only had a minimal role with the bat this season. He has played a grand total of 54 balls, often coming in at No. 7 or 8 to manage his knee niggle. But in the time that he has spent at the crease, there have been fireworks. Ten sixes and a strike rate of 190.74 mean that he's wielding the long handle with devastating effect even if only briefly.

Almost as pulsating as Dhoni's six-hitting has been the anticipation of his entry. "There are speakers everywhere at Chepauk. But the crowd noise is at its peak when Dhoni comes in. No matter what volume we play the music at, it is barely audible" says KC Senthil Kumar, also known as DJ Zen, responsible for the lively atmosphere at IPL matches in Chennai this year.

That Dhoni's entry has been to Tamil film songs of actors like Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan and Vijay is oddly fitting. After all, his demigod status on the streets of Chennai is akin to what these big-screen superstars enjoy.

"I personally think that Dhoni's fan base is bigger than any movie star," says Senthil Kumar. "You always have Kamal fans and Rajini fans, you always have Vijay fans and Ajith fans. But when it comes to Dhoni, everybody is a fan."

That Chennai, a city fiercely protective of its south Indian identity, has wholeheartedly embraced a man from the cricketing backwaters of Ranchi in Jharkhand may not be easy to comprehend even after all these years. Dhoni's success as captain and wicketkeeper-batter has undoubtedly helped, but the connection now seems to go deeper than merely on-field feats.

"He is a suitable role model not just in cricket but in life. Beyond the game, he connects with everyone as a good human being. If we take any decision thinking of him, the decision will be successful," says Saravanan.

For fans like these, it's clearly hard to even think of a time when Dhoni isn't leading the men in yellow though he himself put it as the "last phase of my career". Whether that means he hangs up his boots this week or indeed next season, only he will know.