"We have seen many athletes struggling after retiring" - Zaheer Khan on how MS Dhoni realized cricket is not everything

Former Indian fast bowler Zaheer Khan has hailed Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain MS Dhoni for not being mentally drained out after his international retirement back in 2020.

Zaheer shed light on how many athletes struggle after retiring from the game because they gave absolutely everything they had to the sport as professionals. While Dhoni continues to play just in the IPL since the past 3-4 years, Zaheer explained how the legendary wicketkeeper ensures he remains mentally fresh by switching off from the sport when needed.

Here's what Zaheer Khan said about MS Dhoni on Jio Cinema:

"We have seen many athletes struggling after retiring because they gave their everything to the game, and when they left it, they didn't know what to do. MS Dhoni understood a long time ago that while cricket is an integral part of his life, it is not everything. He keeps doing things outside of sport. For example, his interest in bikes."

MS Dhoni could have called it quits after CSK thrillingly won IPL 2023. However, he had been pretty vocal about how he wanted to be back playing in the league as a thank-you gesture to the loyal fans. Dhoni certainly must have overcome several physical and mental challenges to ensure he was fresh for IPL 2024.

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Parthiv Patel on MS Dhoni's process

'Focus on the process' is a phrase that's heard several times from Dhoni, the leader. Former Indian cricketer Parthiv Patel has explained why it is so simple yet crucial for a team's success.

Speaking to Jio Cinema, Patel opened up on how Dhoni stresses on controlling the controllable and not worrying about the result of the game. On this, he stated:

"His (Dhoni's) processes are like the verse, 'Karm kiye jao, fall ki chinta mat karo.' If you work hard and prepare properly, the results will follow. His process mantra is 'Whatever we perfect in practice, we will replicate in the game'."

CSK will kickstart the IPL 2024 season against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the Chepauk on Friday, March 22.