nhl game used jerseys ‘I’d be lying if I say I’ve moved on from CSK’
MS Dhoni has admitted to feeling “a little different” when asked about the prospect of representing a new franchise in the IPL after eight years of association with Chennai Super Kings.
“I would be lying if I say I have moved on,” Dhoni was quoted as saying by PTI at the jersey launch of his new team, the Rising Pune Supergiants. “That is the special part of being a human being. There has got to be an emotional connect after eight years (with CSK). After eight years of IPL, it feels very different to play for any other team.
“All of a sudden if you want me to say that I am very excited to play for a new team, don’t give credit to CSK and the fans for the love and affection they have given us, it will be wrong. But as a professional, I would like to thank the Pune team for taking me. Of course there will be added responsibility as captain but as a professional we are supposed to do the job with more than 100% commitment. And that is what we will try to do.”
The one relationship he is happy to continue from his days with the Super Kings, though, is his working partnership with Stephen Fleming, who was named head coach last month. “The life becomes slightly easy with him around. We know each other for long time,” he said. “He is a fantastic coach. His management skills are very good. What I really like is that he is calm like me. It is good to have him and hopefully it will work for us.”
Dhoni said while he would miss playing alongside his core group of players like Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja and Brendon McCullum at Pune, the two new teams had to put that behind them and quickly get into their groove with the new set of players to negate the settled advantage the six existing franchises possess.
“There are a lot of players we will miss,” he said. “We were together for eight years, our core group was the same. We were so consistent and our strength was that we played as a team. We have taken some former CSK players but then at the auction, the two new teams were expected to do most of the buying. If you look at the six other franchisees, they have a settled lot. Therefore, the pressure will be on the new franchise.”
As the questions drifted towards a few of his own personnel, Dhoni said every player in the setup will be given a role, even as he deflected suggestions over having difficulties in managing a player like Kevin Pietersen. “Every player will have a role in the team. There is a basic way every cricketer plays,” he said. “KP is fantastic, somebody who is aggressive and expressive on the field. Not only has that, he like other seniors, had an added responsibility to groom the youngsters.”
It’s honest comments like these from Dhoni which make him respect all the very more time and time again. More than Pune or Chennai or any other city, I am eager to see what Dhoni will do this time to Indian team’s contribution. Look what Ashish Nehra has become. He has once again become a regular atleast in the T20 formats after being with CSK (and he has been a good pick so far). I wish Dhoni’s energy and fighting attitude rubs on to RP Singh this time in Pune and we can hope to see him also in the Indian team. Remember, RP can be one of the best left armers when in full flow. All the best Dhoni
It’s honest comments like these from Dhoni which make him respect all the very more time and time again. More than Pune or Chennai or any other city, I am eager to see what Dhoni will do this time to Indian team’s contribution. Look what Ashish Nehra has become. He has once again become a regular atleast in the T20 formats after being with CSK (and he has been a good pick so far). I wish Dhoni’s energy and fighting attitude rubs on to RP Singh this time in Pune and we can hope to see him also in the Indian team. Remember, RP can be one of the best left armers when in full flow. All the best Dhoni
Truth has been spoken. CSK It was not just a team. It was a family including CSK’s fans. How well CSK played and made their fans proud. Dhoni Raina partnerships and celebrations, Bravo’s dance in Yellow jersey, seeing CSK always in the top 4, the theme songs, whistle podu titles are going to be missed certainly. How well the team was groomed and bought up as a greatest force in IPL. All hard work in maintaining the core players has been spoiled by some dirty people. The wrong doings of few people have hurt its management, team and its fan. Not just CSK. RR too. Will miss CSK family. Im in tears 🙁
Feels like am being ripped apart thinking of Dhoni wears a different jersey in this IPL. Nevertheless my support will always be with Dhoni which ever team he plays and for the other CSK players if they dont play against Dhoni and his team.
This is precarious position for a CSK fan to be in. 5 of our top 7 are with Gujarat. Only MSD and Faf are with Pune. If i like CSK for the winning combination, I should naturally go for Gujarat. But this man is something out of the sentiments. He defines CSK. He created and lived with the team. He s not just captain but the brand himself. I would support Pune just because MSD is the captain of the team. The only thing I would hate is, seeing Ashwin and MSD in non yellow jersey. God that would hurt. Pretty sure I would shed tears when I see them on TV. Same for the CSK guys over Gujarat as well.
IND over the years has produced many a great cricketer with Gavaskar,Kapil,Sachin,Dravid,Laxman, Yuvraj, Dhoni being super 7. IND’s great successes big world title wins over last 5 decades have been during 1979 86 (Gavaskar /Kapil as captain) 2007 onwards (MSD as captain). MSD has led teams that have beaten superior teams in all formats far more than any other captain. But for missed opportunities of test series wins in SA/NZ/ENG/AUS due to batting/fielding errors the overseas test series wins ensemble would have been complete. By his performances as player captain, MSD has leapfrogged as the best ever captain in all forms of world cricket in last 50 years. During last 3 yrs IND has won 12 test matches with top 2 match contributions in batting by Pujara(6),Vijay(5),Rohit(4),Rahane(3),Dhawan(2),Kohli(2),Dhoni(1),Ashwin(1) in bowling by Ashwin(11), Jadeja(8), Ishant(2) others(3). Players who have made outstanding contributions in test ODI wins have played for CSK as well. wow! great cricketing knowledge yaar. Do you know any of CSK players before first IPL?? except MS.
Dhoni the selfish cricketer, Dhoni the unsung villain of Indian cricket. Yes Dhoni is selfish. How selfish he is, he preferred to stay with the team during his first baby birth. How selfish he is, could have easily announced the retirement from test cricket before the match and could have had a grand farewell. How selfish he is, always stands at the corner when other mates are posing for a pic after winning a trophy, stands front and takes the blame if team loses. How selfish he is, always sends the top performers for press conferences after a win, he comes when there was a loss. How selfish he is, always backs his players when they are struggling for form. Vijay, nobody. Ashwin, nobody. The only star purchase they made was that of Dhoni himself. Even their overseas players: Faf was nobody, Bravo was an OK all rounder. Heck,

Nehra who made a comeback now, people laughed at us when we bought him. Dhoni is a far greater captain than Ganguly ever was. Ganguly had Kumble and Harbhajan and couldn’t defeat the Australians at home; in fact, he chickened out of the Nagpur Test. Dhoni has a 10 0 record against Australians at home. And away, they both won only 4 Tests. Limited overs, again, Dhoni is about 100x the captain Ganguly ever was.
No matter how much I like Dhoni, this is a fact that he got more than an undue advantage at CSK. CSK always had the best players and it appeared that they were very well aware of the sequence (or maybe they decided/influenced the sequence). They played very shrewd and got the best players at best prices. So while I do think Dhoni is the best captain India has had after Ganguly, I would not say that he was primarily responsible for the CSK dominance in the IPL. This time round though, he will have a fair fight in his hands. This team will not get such privileges as the CSK. It has had to bid fairly and will now have to win solely on merit of its players and the coaches.
This is why I believe the IPL needs to take a leaf out of other well established pro leagues in sport such as the NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL, EPL, Bundesliga, La Liga etc. When some officials from a team commit acts of fraud, fixing etc, that said individual(s) need to be penalized, NOT the entire team/franchise. It simply doesn’t make sense. It only complicates the matter furthermore. Now after 2 years, we all know RR and CSK will be back. So what happens then ? Will those teams get back all their former players ? Cause that’s only fair. I simply cannot stand another fresh auction. That’s just too green and immature in my opinion. Besides, MSD is a household name for every CSK fan. I can understand where he’s coming from.
I cannot afford to underestimate any team that MSD is leading. Over the years he is proved to be a great captain. He gave Joginder final over to win World T20. CSK played as a team and most of them grew up to play for India. Pawan Negi the highest paid uncapped player this year was a part of CSK! Ashish Nehra was a part of CSK who came back strongly into the Indian team now!
They have great team. Steve Smith, Faf Du Plessis, Kevin Pieterson, Ishant Sharma, Irfan Pathan, Ashwin, Dhoni, M. Marsh, Rahane, Rajat Bhatia. I will not be surprised if Dhoni can even tap the best out of Adam Zampa who seem to have a cool head as a bowler.
Doesn’t make any sense to me that the Chennai fans are being penalised for wrong doings of a few. Would have made a lot more sense to penalise the CSK owners by getting them to force sell completely (100% of their stake to a real 3rd party) and continue with the CSK franchise under new ownership, with the same team. The people of Chennai are an emotional lot you can see that by the way they worship their cinema stars, and they did the same with their IPL team. They took it to heart. All that faith, emotional attachment, affinity, killed. Dhoni at least has the guts to admit that it won’t feel the same playing for a new franchise in such circumstances.
Doesn’t make any sense to me that the Chennai fans are being penalised for wrong doings of a few. Would have made a lot more sense to penalise the CSK owners by getting them to force sell completely (100% of their stake to a real 3rd party) and continue with the CSK franchise under new ownership, with the same team. The people of Chennai are an emotional lot you can see that by the way they worship their cinema stars, and they did the same with their IPL team. They took it to heart. All that faith, emotional attachment, affinity, killed. Dhoni at least has the guts to admit that it won’t feel the same playing for a new franchise in such circumstances.
I cannot afford to underestimate any team that MSD is leading. Over the years he is proved to be a great captain. He gave Joginder final over to win World T20. CSK played as a team and most of them grew up to play for India. Pawan Negi the highest paid uncapped player this year was a part of CSK! Ashish Nehra was a part of CSK who came back strongly into the Indian team now!
They have great team. Steve Smith, Faf Du Plessis, Kevin Pieterson, Ishant Sharma, Irfan Pathan, Ashwin, Dhoni, M. Marsh, Rahane, Rajat Bhatia. I will not be surprised if Dhoni can even tap the best out of Adam Zampa who seem to have a cool head as a bowler.
This is why I believe the IPL needs to take a leaf out of other well established pro leagues in sport such as the NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL, EPL, Bundesliga, La Liga etc. When some officials from a team commit acts of fraud, fixing etc, that said individual(s) need to be penalized, NOT the entire team/franchise. It simply doesn’t make sense. It only complicates the matter furthermore. Now after 2 years, we all know RR and CSK will be back. So what happens then ? Will those teams get back all their former players ? Cause that’s only fair. I simply cannot stand another fresh auction. That’s just too green and immature in my opinion. Besides,

MSD is a household name for every CSK fan. I can understand where he’s coming from.