Dhoni on IPL future: Nothing to decide now, will take a call later
Kolkata (PTI): 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."
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Centre spent Rs 76.13 lakh on print media ads for RSS centenary, reveals RTI
New Delhi: The Union Ministry of Culture allegedly spent Rs 76.13 lakh on print advertisements marking the 100-year celebrations of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), according to a Right to Information (RTI) reply.
The information was sought by RTI activist Ajay Basudev Bose, who filed an application seeking details on expenditure incurred by the ministry for advertisements commemorating the RSS centenary.
Bose shared a picture of the reply from the ministry on his official ‘X’ handle.
“It is informed that an amount of Rs 76,13,129 has been spent on advertisement given in various print media by the Ministry of Culture on the occasion of the completion of 100 years of RSS,” the government’s reply stated.
RTI reply shows Min of Culture Govt of India spent a Whopping Rs 76L,13K,129 on Advertisement in Print Media on occasion of 100 yrs of #RSS
— AJAY Basudev Bose (@AjayBos93388306) April 16, 2026
When Everyone knows RSS is Not Registered & Does not Pay any Tax is it justified to spend Tax Payers Money on such Private event??@RSSorg… pic.twitter.com/dW4IUtdNCg
Bose questioned the expenditure in the post X, “when Everyone knows RSS is Not Registered & Does not Pay any Tax is it justified to spend Tax Payers Money on such Private event??”
Reacting to the development, Karnataka’s IT-BT and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge also criticised the spending.
In a post on X, he asked why public money was being used for what he described as a “private ideological project.”
"Modi Sarkar spent Rs 76,13,129 of public money on newspaper advertisements to celebrate 100 years of the RSS. Why is Government spending taxpayers money on an unregistered, non-tax-paying organisation to celebrate their centenary?," he added.
Why is public money being used to serve a private ideological project?
— Priyank Kharge / ಪ್ರಿಯಾಂಕ್ ಖರ್ಗೆ (@PriyankKharge) April 16, 2026
Modi Sarkar spent ₹76,13,129 of public money on newspaper advertisements to celebrate 100 years of the RSS.
Why is Government spending taxpayers money on an unregistered, non-tax-paying organisation to… pic.twitter.com/EoZ6Pim3IM
According to reports, the RSS describes itself as a volunteer-based organisation and has stated that it functions as a body of individuals rather than a registered entity.
Founded by Keshav Baliram Hedgewar in 1925, the organisation is marking its centenary year beginning from Vijaydashami in 2025, with the milestone observed on October 2.
