“Nobody gives you discount for age”: MS Dhoni

Former India and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain MS Dhoni has shared insights into the challenges he faces playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL) at the age of 42. Despite not playing cricket throughout the year, Dhoni emphasized that there is no “discount for age” when competing in the IPL.

Dhoni played for CSK in IPL 2024 under the leadership of Ruturaj Gaikwad, to whom he handed over the captaincy ahead of this season. His team crashed out of the playoffs race after a loss to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on Saturday. CSK finished in fifth place with seven wins, seven losses, and 14 points, missing out on the final four due to an inferior net run rate.

Speaking in a video on the Dubai Eye 103.8 YouTube channel on Monday, Dhoni said, “The toughest thing is… I am not playing cricket throughout the year. So I have to be fit. Once I come, you are competing against youngsters who are fit and playing international cricket. Professional sport is not easy, nobody gives you a discount for age. If you want to play, you have to be as fit as the other guy. Age does not really give that grace to you. So, eating habits, a bit of training and all those things are there. Social media, thankfully, I am not on social media, so there’s less distraction.”

Dhoni also reflected on his career and the sacrifices he made, particularly the time spent away from family due to cricket commitments and endorsements. He shared how he finds balance and de-stresses through various activities, including spending time with his pets, farming, and his passion for motorbikes and vintage cars.

“Once I quit international cricket, I wanted to spend a bit more time with my family. But, at that same time, to be mentally active, to have that passion to stay focused — for me, I love farming, for me it is the motorbikes, I have started getting into vintage cars. These things de-stress me. If I am stressed, I would maybe go to the garage, spend a couple of hours over there and I will just be fine, I would come back,” he said.

“I have always felt growing up with a pet, whether it is a cat or a dog… I prefer dogs though. They have unconditional love towards you. I have said this in a previous interview, even if I lose a game and come back, my dog greets me the same way,” Dhoni further added.

Due to knee surgery last year, CSK has been managing Dhoni’s workload throughout the ongoing season. He often came out to bat when only a few deliveries were left. Despite this, he put up impressive figures in 14 matches, amassing 161 runs at an average of 53.67 and a strike rate of 220.55.