“To Have Survived For So Long…”: MS Dhoni’s Special Message On Reaching Historic Milestone For CSK In IPL

One of the greatest captains in the history of the sport, former India skipper MS Dhoni on Friday reached a huge landmark in the ongoing season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023. As Dhoni took the field in match 17 of IPL 2023 between Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Rajasthan Royals (RR), he achieved the feat of leading the franchise for the 200th time. Dhoni, who announced his retirement from international cricket in August 2020, was bought by CSK ahead of the inaugural ediition of IPL in 2008.

Dhoni won the toss and opted to bowl against RR at the M Chidambaram Stadium. “It will be slightly on the slower side,” Dhoni said. “There could be dew around. Feels good [to lead for 200th time]. The crowd was fantastic. The new stadium is like playing in Switzerland. We have seen cricket change. Feels good to have survived for so long and it’s a format we have to keep evolving. Important to get rid of mistakes in the later stages.”

Dhoni is the most consistent skipper in IPL history. He has led CSK to four IPL titles (2010, 2011, 2018 and 2021 editions). Though Mumbai Indians (MI) have won five IPL trophies, MS-led CSK enjoys the advantage of consistency. He has led CSK to the final four stage of the tournament in 11 out of 13 editions of the league, with the side finishing as runners-up on five occasions.

Ahead of Wednesday’s match, Dhoni captained on 213 occasions in IPL, out of which he has won 125 matches, lost 87 and one match failed to produce a result. His win percentage of 58.96 makes him one of the most successful IPL captains in long term.

He also has had a one-season stint as skipper with Rising Pune Supergiant, a side that existed temporarily in IPL from 2016 to 2017. He could win only five matches and lost nine out of 14 during the 2016 season with the franchise, finishing seventh on the points table.

Ahead of Wednesday’s game, Dhoni has led CSK in 199 matches out of 213 so far, having won 120, lost 78, and one failed to produce a result. His win percentage with CSK as skipper is 60.30 per cent.

Dhoni is also a highly-accomplished batter in IPL, having scored 5,004 runs in league history at an average of 39.09 and a strike rate of over 135. He has scored 24 half-centuries in his IPL career, with a best of 84*.

(With ANI Inputs)