IPL 2024: Dhoni should play for another 3 years; Ruturaj can be CSK captain: Raina

Former India all-rounder Suresh Raina wants Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain MS Dhoni to continue playing the Indian Premier League (IPL) for at least two to three years.

With IPL 2024 set to start on Friday (March 22), there is speculation that this could be Dhoni’s last year as a player at CSK. However, there is no confirmation from the skipper as he is known to surprise people with his decisions.

Raina also spoke about who could become CSK’s next captain after Dhoni’s retirement.

“The biggest question is who’ll be their next captain? Even if Dhoni stepped away as captain, he'll be in the dugout whether it's as a mental toughness coach or just for his presence. But the question is, who is he going to nurture? This is a pivotal year for CSK. Who does MS have his eyes on? Ruturaj Gaikwad is a good option. This year is a very important year for CSK, more than for MS Dhoni,” Raina said on JioCinema.

“Because we’ll see who he is going to select as his deputy and probably say: ‘You handle this now, I’ve been looking after the team since 2008. You take care of the yellow, I will wear the jersey and sit in the dressing room’,” Raina added.

“It’s important now to see how he plans for the future. He’s 42 years old. I would love to see him play for five more years, or at least two or three more years,” he said.

In the IPL 2024 opener at Chennai’s M A Chidambaram Stadium on Friday, CSK face Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).