Written by Vaibhav Tripathi
MS Dhoni had just started going to school when Sunil Gavaskar brought the curtain down on his legendary career. But respect and admiration cut across generations, and at the conclusion of the Chennai Super Kings-Kolkata Knight Riders game at Chepauk on Sunday night, Gavaskar had Dhoni autograph his shirt.
Kolkata played party poopers in Chennai’s final home game of the regular season – the city hosts the first two play-off matches, and CSK could well feature – but Dhoni had still gone on a lap of honour to acknowledge an audience that has adored him for 16 seasons now. It was during this circuit of the ground that his path crossed Gavaskar’s. The two stopped, exchanged a few words, and Gavaskar then requested the signature. A video of the interaction between two of Indian cricket’s legends has been circulating on social media.
For the fans..
Of the fans..
By the fans..!#YellorukkumThanks #WhistlePodu #Yellove 🦁pic.twitter.com/n5D5yLdp3h— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) May 14, 2023
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There has been no confirmation from Dhoni as to whether he intends to return to the CSK fold next season – he turns 42 in July – but Kasi Viswanathan, the franchise CEO, was quietly confident that this wasn’t the final chapter of the remarkable Dhoni-in-Chennai tale.