Exclusive | Dhoni is ‘superhuman’, can play IPL for 3 more years: Shane Watson

Two-time Indian Premier League (IPL) winner Shane Watson on Thursday (May 2) said his former Chennai Super Kings (CSK) teammate MS Dhoni can play the Twenty20 tournament for three more years.

Heaping praise on Dhoni, Watson, who helped CSK win the IPL 2018 title with a match-winning century in the final against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), said the 42-year-old wicketkeeper-batter’s “very, very best skills” were on display in IPL 2024.

'Never want Dhoni to retire'

“The way MS Dhoni is playing right now, he can play for another couple of years. He is playing as well as I have ever seen. Some of the shots we have seen in this year’s IPL so far are something special,” Watson said in an exclusive interview with The Federal on Thursday.

“In the previous couple of years, we only saw glimpses of his batting but this season every time he has come out to bat, his very, very best skills have been on display. He is keeping exceptionally well. There is no reason why he cannot play for another three years, with what we have seen this year,” the former Australian all-rounder added.

Watson, who has authored a new book ‘The Winner’s Mindset’, said he was not surprised with how Dhoni has been performing in this year’s IPL and described him as “superhuman”.

“Of course, we love to see him playing the IPL. He is a superhuman with everything he has been able to do on and off the field. With the entertainment he provides, and the amount of joy he brings to cricket, we as cricket fans, never want him to retire.

“It is incredible to see at the age of 42, I am almost the same age as MS Dhoni, no way I can imagine of doing what he (Dhoni) is doing. He is consistently doing which is something very special. Knowing MS Dhoni, it doesn’t surprise me because he is a very special human being with very special superhuman skills,” he opined.

'Supernatural skills of Dhoni'

Watson, who too is 42 years old like Dhoni, hailed his “supernatural skills” for succeeding in IPL by playing only this tournament in a year.

“It’s crazy. When I stopped playing international cricket, one thing that I realised was that I needed to continually play cricket throughout the year otherwise my skills would drop off, enough to be exposed against the best players in the world, like the IPL. MSD is only playing just one tournament a year, which is the IPL, and his skills on display are very, very best. For him to dominate the best players in the world shows his supernatural skills. He knows what preparation he needs to turn on such performances once a year, which I couldn’t do as I found it too challenging. That is the reason why I kept playing throughout the year,” he said.

In IPL 2024, Dhoni has batted in eight innings and was dismissed only once (run out against Punjab Kings on May 1). He has so far scored 110 runs off just 48 balls at a strike rate of 229.16. He has hit nine sixes and 10 fours.

Ahead of IPL 2024, Dhoni stepped down as CSK captain and handed over the reins to Ruturaj Gaikwad.