Former India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who leads Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League, has promised his fans down south that he will learn Tamil by the time the next IPL comes around.

While speaking to former India spinner-turned-commentator Laxman Sivaramakrishnan at the toss before the start of the Tamil Nadu Premier League match between Madurai Panthers and Kovai Kings at Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu on Saturday, Dhoni said he had already begun learning the language.