'Want to see a grand crowd for MS Dhoni's last IPL game'

MS Dhoni. Pic/PTI; (right) Michael Vaughan

Former England captain Michael Vaughan believes that MS Dhoni must play his last game in the Indian Premier League (IPL) in front of the jam-packed stadium as the former India skipper deserves a grand farewell from the sport. On Sunday, Dhoni announced that he would continue to play for the Chennai Super Kings in the IPL. "Definitely not," replied Dhoni at the toss when asked by Danny Morrison if match against Kings XI Punjab was his last in yellow jersey.

"If the IPL takes place in the UAE next year again, which there are whispers it will happen, MS Dhoni will have to play another year. He cannot finish his IPL career in front of no crowd," Vaughan said on Cricbuzz. "He has to play at least one game the following year. He cannot go out in front of no crowds. If there is one player who deserves a big crowd to say goodbye to - if he probably cannot play, he would just disappear and say goodbye without us knowing about it - like he did in international cricket," he added. Dhoni, who turned up for India in 350 ODIs, 90 Tests and 98 T20Is while affecting a staggering 829 dismissals behind the stumps, retired from international cricket on August 15 earlier this year. "But I want to see a grand crowd for his last game," Vaughan insisted.

CSK, the three-time IPL champions, were not able to perform as per expectations in the ongoing IPL and, for the first time ever, failed to qualify for the playoffs. However, they ended their IPL 2020 campaign on a winning note, defeating Kings XI Punjab by nine wickets and in the process ending the latter's hope of making it to the playoffs. "Maybe they thought I am retiring, you know. I retired from international cricket, so they might be thinking I am retiring from IPL as well," said Dhoni after the match while talking to Harsha Bhogle. "Definitely not, right?" was Bhogle's next question referring to the earlier statement of Dhoni at the toss. "Definitely not," the 39-year-old said for the second time on Sunday.

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