"It is almost confirmed now that MS Dhoni won't play in the next IPL" - Aakash Chopra 

Former India opener Aakash Chopra reckons that the upcoming 15th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2022) could be MS Dhoni's last season in the cash-rich league.

He believes this could be the reason why he has handed the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captaincy to Ravindra Jadeja.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Chopra pointed out that Dhoni might not have wanted CSK to retain him ahead of last month's IPL 2022 auction, so that he could hang up his boots this year.

He said:

"MS Dhoni has declared that he is no longer the king and he will now only be a person in the kingdom who'll serve the king. But the reality is that he is the king and the captain. He is the king of CSK. It is almost confirmed now that he won't play next year.

"Earlier this year too, I'm sure he did not want the franchise to retain him as spending money on retaining him would not have made the team stronger, as he may not be there for next season. This is why he asked Jadeja to be the first retainee, as he might not stay if he is not given ₹16 crore."

It is worth mentioning that MS Dhoni has been the CSK captain for all their seasons in the competition. The side have clinched four championship titles in the tournament's history.

Moreover, they are also the current reining champions.

"When MS Dhoni is not the captain, he becomes non-intrusive" - Aakash Chopra

Chopra suggested that Dhoni is not someone who will continue to impose his opinions on his teammates after stepping down from the captaincy. He opined that the 40-year-old would only step in when a player walks up to him for guidance.

"When MS Dhoni is not the captain, he becomes non-intrusive. He will only talk when needed or when you go to him. He's is not someone who'll walk up to you and impose his opinions. He prefers to be on the sidelines until someone walks up to him for advice."

Dhoni has often delighted fans with his witty comments during presentation ceremonies. Chopra admitted that he will also miss having the seasoned campaigner around for tosses and post-match interviews.

"I'll miss him at the tosses and his comments during the post-match presentations. Even when the presenters ask tricky questions, he dodges them well with his words."

Chennai Super Kings are slated to lock horns with the Kolkata Knight Riders in the opening contest of the the season on March 26 (Saturday) at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.