” You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain.“

This iconic line from The Dark Knight now resonates with the current phase of MS Dhoni’s IPL career.
Once the undisputed legend of Indian cricket and the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), MS Dhoni continues to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025), but many believe that he is now past his prime—turning into more of a sentimental presence than a strategic asset. CSK management and the media has created a false aura around MSD making him a larger-than-life figure. A deliberate ploy for the CSK fans to be hooked to the franchise.

Hero worshipping in Tamil Nadu is not uncommon amongst fans who treat their heroes as a celestial beings and cheer their every move ignoring the fact that the person in question may have no fuel left in the tank.MSD is going through a similar phase what all superstars of the past go through, by desperately trying to hang on to their past glory.

MS Dhoni is in the twilight of his fading career. In International cricket he had a a very respectable exit when he took the call on his retirement. But he could not replicate the same as a CSK player.

Who would want to retire when your fan Hero worships you? This is where the CSK no 7 erred!!

When to retire? Can I stretch few more years of my career? are the likely predicament most Indian superstar cricketers face when they face an imminent retirement call.

2023 and 2024 season exposed MSD as a player struggling to play pace bowling and took the backseat while batting.Batting, for MSD has become a more grandstanding event for his fans.It is clearly evident that the popularity of Chennai Super Kings rest with MSD.He is their biggest brand and the reason why the fans fill the Stadiums.There is no other player in the franchise who can match MSD’s aura and this scares the Chennai Super Kings franchise of losing their fanbase after MSD.For two years, the issue was somehow swept under the carpet by the management but now the 43-year-old Dhoni is facing criticism from his fans too.In the current 2025 season, MSD came to bat as low as number 9 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, which CSK lost by 50-runs at Chepauk last week.In the next game too, the Chennai Ex captain came at number 7 with the team needing 54 off 25 balls but could manage just 16 runs off 11 balls.

In his prime, MSD thrived in such situations.

While his batting form has been the talking point, his glove work behind the stumps against fast bowling has also seen errors. He is however still one of the best behind the stumps for spinners.The media too has to be blamed for creating a false image of MSD especially the commentators covering IPL. They conveniently ignore MSD’s flaws behind the stumps but overexaggerates the positives in the veteran’s game.Even the most hardcore cricket fans, have now openly started criticizing MSD’s approach. While they love their hero MSD, they also want the Chennai team to win. With MSD, CSK is playing with 10 players.MSD is currently bigger than the CSK team and no one dares to criticise its favorite number 7 including the management and the coaching staff.CSK coach Stephen Fleming admits that MSD is not in his best shape and cannot play the long innings.  Stephen Fleming too wants MSD to take the call on his retirement which clearly puts the Team’s well-being in the back burner.

MS Dhoni would definitely want to leave a lasting impression on his legacy with the franchise but his delay on an overdue pending retirement call makes even his biggest fan wonder ….. Why not now? rather than Why Now?

SuperSports360 Verdict

MS Dhoni’s impact on CSK is beyond cricket—he is the brand, the face, and the emotional core. But in terms of pure cricketing value, the legend might now be a liability more than a leader.

It’s time for a graceful exit—one that respects the legacy he built, but doesn’t hinder the future of Chennai Super Kings. Even the most loyal fans now seem ready to see their hero walk away while still admired, not criticised.