Amidst growing speculation about his retirement, former India and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni is planning a visit to London for treatment of a muscle tear injury, according to sources within CSK. Dhoni will make a decision on his future course of action post-recovery, the sources added.

CSK was eliminated from the Playoffs race of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 after a heart-wrenching defeat to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in a do-or-die match on Saturday. This marks only the third time that the five-time champions will not feature in the IPL playoffs. The defending champions suffered a 27-run defeat at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. As soon as M.S. Dhoni walked out of the ground, having scored 25 off 13 deliveries, speculation about his future intensified.

“He is not fully fit but wants to continue to play cricket…”

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According to source, “Dhoni might head to London for his muscle tear surgery which saw him struggling during the IPL. He is not fully fit but wants to continue to play cricket and he will only decide about his future after treatment which will take him five to six months to recover.” 

Future decisions pending post-recovery surgery

In the latest development, sources privy to the information told IANS that Dhoni will decide about his retirement only after undergoing surgery in London. CSK’s campaign ended with 14 points, the same as RCB, but they failed to secure a playoff berth due to RCB’s superior net run-rate.

In their final match, CSK struggled in the middle overs after recovering from a poor start while chasing 219. Rachin Ravindra’s 61-run knock and Ravindra Jadeja’s unbeaten 42 were not enough to guide the defending champions to victory.

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Following CSK’s elimination, fans and experts speculated that this could be Dhoni’s final season with the franchise. However, the veteran has kept his intentions private and returned home after the match on Sunday. Dhoni’s future in cricket remains uncertain, and his decision will likely come after his recovery from the planned treatment in London.