'We will just have to wait...': CSK batting coach Michael Hussey opens up on MS Dhoni's retirement plans
Former CSK captain MS Dhoni is managing his knee injury and playing in the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). He has even batted as low as number nine in one of the matches this season but has been smashing the ball cleanly even at the age of 42.
Chennai Super Kings batting coach Michael Hussey is as clueless as anyone else when it comes to speaking about MS Dhoni's future plans. He has revealed that the former CSK skipper likes to keep his cards close to his chest and hasn't spoken anyone about his retirement. However, Hussey is hoping that Dhoni continues to play for a couple more years given the way he is hitting the ball at the moment.
Dhoni has come out to bat at seven or below mostly this season but has smashed 12 sixes and 11 fours in 60 balls he has faced so far scoring 136 runs at a strike rate of 226.66 in 10 innings. "Your guess is as good as mine at this stage. He keeps his cards very, very close to his chest. We are hoping he does keep going. He is still batting so well. He does prepare well - he gets into the camp very early and hits a lot of balls. He has been in good touch all season really. I guess we just got to try to manage him from the body side of things. He had a knee surgery after the last season. So he has been managing that from the initial stage of the tournament.
"From a personal point of view, I hope he keeps going for another couple of years. But we will just have to wait and see. He is the only one who will make that call. And he likes to sort of build the drama a little bit as well. So I wouldn't expect a decision anytime soon," Hussey said while speaking to ESPNCricinfo.
MS Dhoni has been managing his knee this season having undergone surgery for the same after IPL last year. For the same reason, the 42-year-old hasn't batted higher despite wickets falling early on occasions. But Hussey is amazed with the way the wicketkeeper-batter is smacking the ball from the word go. "I know fans probably want to see him batting a little bit higher in the order," Hussey said, "but that [the knee surgery] is why we have had to manage him a little bit and he only comes in at the back end. But there has been no one better in being able to come in and hit the ball so cleanly from ball one than MS. He has been phenomenal," Hussey added.