I will play IPL next year, will be unfair not to say thank you to Chennai: MS Dhoni
Mumbai, May 20: Iconic two-time World Cup winning India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni on Friday said he will "definitely" play in the IPL next year as not doing so would be "unfair" to the city after which the Chennai Super Kings is named and which treats him like its own.
With this, the 40-year-old Dhoni put to rest speculations around his participation in the lucrative league next season.
"Definitely, I will play next year. It would be unfair not to say thank you to Chennai, to not play in Chennai. It won't be nice to the CSK fans," Dhoni said at the toss for CSK's final match of the ongoing season, against Rajasthan Royals.
"Whether 2023 will be my last year or not, that is something we will have to see."
The former India skipper's fandom knows no bounds and some time back, a social media post of one admirer painting his house in Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu in Chennai Super Kings' yellow colour, along with portraits of Dhoni, had gone viral.
Two days ago, Dhoni's heartfelt reply to a distraught CSK fan's letter won hearts.
Four-time champions CSK endured one of their worst IPL campaigns, as they went out of reckoning for a play-offs spot quite early in the season.
Most of CSK's senior players like Dhoni (206 runs), Ambati Rayudu (271) and Robin Uthappa (230) haven't had a great IPL and that has been the biggest failure of the 'Yellow Brigade'.
The bowling suffered a lot because of the absence of an injured Deepak Chahar and the inability to retain Josh Hazlewood.
It was wafer-thin in terms of experience and they paid the price. Matheesha Pathirana, with a slinging action that is pretty similar to Lasith Malinga, has caught Dhoni's imagination but he is a work in progress.
Similarly, the likes of Mukesh (16 wickets), Simar (3 wickets) and spinner Mahesh Theekshana (12) are good but not assured match-winners yet.
There were also speculations of rift in the CSK camp after Ravindra Jadeja and the franchise decided to unfollow each other on social media platforms after the former stepped down from captaincy and left the bubble citing an injury.
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Gujarat tribal leader Mahesh Vasava quits BJP, cites betrayal of constitutional values
New Delhi: Prominent tribal leader and former MLA Mahesh Vasava resigned from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on April 14, citing deep concerns that the country is no longer being governed in accordance with the Constitution. His resignation came on the occasion of Ambedkar Jayanti, a symbolic move underscoring his disapproval of the current political climate.
Vasava, the son of veteran tribal politician Chhotu Vasava and former MLA from the Dediyapada constituency in Gujarat, had joined the BJP in March 2024 ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. He submitted his resignation to Gujarat BJP president C.R. Paatil.
Speaking to the media, Vasava said, “On the occasion of the birth anniversary of Dr. Ambedkar, I have to say that the country is not being run according to the Constitution. Adivasis, Dalits, OBCs, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, and other poor classes will unite and fight the ideology of the RSS and the BJP.”
Vasava also expressed dissatisfaction with his treatment within the party following the election results. “After the results were announced, BJP leaders did not invite me to any meetings or public programs. They deliberately isolated me,” he said, adding that he would now dedicate his efforts to the Bharatiya Tribal Party (BTP), founded by his father. “A political earthquake is coming, and Bharuch will be its epicenter,” he warned.
Reacting to the development, Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi said Vasava’s resignation on Ambedkar Jayanti was a clear indication of the BJP’s alleged anti-Adivasi stance and disregard for constitutional values. “This resignation has once again exposed the anti-Constitutional approach of the BJP,” Doshi stated.
Vasava’s departure adds to the political churn in Gujarat, especially among tribal and marginalized communities, and may signal a shift in tribal political alignment ahead of future state and national elections.
