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England all-rounder Moeen Ali has praised Chennai Super Kings skipper MS Dhoni as a 'special' player and person ahead of the 2024 IPL season.
Ali has played under Dhoni's captaincy for three seasons since 2021, helping the franchise win two of their five titles. CSK defeated the Gujarat Titans (GT) in a thrilling final last year to win their fifth title.
Dhoni holds the record for most IPL wins as captain (133) and is the only cricketer to lead a franchise (CSK) in over 200 games.
In an interview with ESPNcricinfo, Ali shared his admiration for the strategist in MS Dhoni by saying:
"Everyone knows that Dhoni is a special player and a special captain. He is a very good guy. I have played three seasons but I don't know what he is going to come up with. His strategic persona is really good. It is exciting as a player - what role he has for you. When you are playing for CSK with Dhoni as the captain, whether the team is weak or strong on paper, you always have a chance of winning."
Ali has played 40 of his 59 IPL games for CSK, scoring 725 runs and picking up 23 wickets.
Before his association with the franchise, the 36-year-old played under Virat Kohli for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) from 2018 to 2020.
"He is a massive inspiration at 44" - Moeen Ali on Imran Tahir
Moeen Ali called South African spinner Imran Tahir an inspiration for playing well into his 40s and said he will play the sport as long as he is contributing to the team.
Tahir is still part of several franchises in the T20 leagues across the globe and producing outstanding performances.
"I will play as long as I am playing well, as long as I feel like I can contribute to the team. I watch players like Imran Tahir. He is a massive inspiration at 44. Shoaib Malik has been playing for a long time. Not playing Tests and ODIs will prolong my career in terms of playing domestic cricket all over the world. I know there will be a time physically when I can't play. I want to play till then," said Ali.
Ali was recently part of the Comilla Victorians franchise that made it to the final of the 2024 Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).
The veteran all-rounder was also part of England's title run in the 2022 T20 World Cup and in their dismal 2023 ODI World Cup campaign.
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