IPL: All eyes on Dhoni’s CSK, Rohit Sharma’s MI

Megastars Dhoni, Kohli and Rohit have been IPL's driving force in the past 15 seasons, getting the cricket crazy Indian fans hooked on the event for nearly two months every year

New Delhi: The never-ending speculations about Mahendra Singh Dhoni‘s impending ‘last dance’, Virat Kohli’s endless pursuit of an elusive silverware and Rohit Sharma’s customary nonchalance are things that make the IPL starting Friday a heady cocktail of cricket and entertainment.

Megastars Dhoni, Kohli and Rohit have been the IPL’s driving force in the past 15 seasons, getting the cricket crazy Indian fans hooked on the event for nearly two months every year. As it enters the 16th season, innovations introduced in the form of potential game changer like the ‘Impact Player’ rule, DRS on wides and waist-high no balls, and two broadcasting giants locked in an ugly war of ‘TV vs Digital’ act as ingredients garnishing the mouth-watering dish, which will be devoured by millions for more than 50 days.

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However, the product will remain the driving force and players the main stakeholders, as the likes of Dhoni, Kohli and Rohit set the narratives for their respective franchises with amazing fan bases. Nearing 42, Dhoni has defied the law of diminishing returns when it comes to his manic following among CSK fans, who thronged the Chepauk to see their ‘Thala’ hit towering sixes at his spiritual home.

They say it will be his last year in the ‘canary yellow’ jersey, but when it comes to MSD, never say never. Even Rohit agrees with that, and won’t be surprised if his “captain” continues playing till 45. Having finished outside the play-offs in 2022, Dhoni would like to equal Mumbai Indians’ record with five titles, and he knows how to get the best out of the resources available at his disposal. He will have Ben Stokes in his roster to give him the firepower in batting – in powerplay and at the back-end. Devon Conway and Ruturaj Gaikwad both understand the grammar of IPL cricket and Ambati Rayudu with the willow and Deepak Chahar with the white Kookaburra have all been there and done that.

For Rohit, it will be a season in which he would like to sing the redemption song. Rohit has a casual exterior but scratch the surface, and he can be as intense as anybody, and being the most successful skipper in the history of IPL, losing isn’t an option. Before last year, Rohit never knew what it feels to be the wooden spooner.

This season however, Mumbai Indians appear to be the team to beat, at least on paper. A lot will depend on the skipper’s own batting form and the two marquee men in Ishan Kishan and the world’s No. 1 T20 batter Suryakumar Yadav, who would like to brush off the three first-ball ducks against Australia recently as an aberration in an otherwise sterling journey. This core will be a formidable one in the years to come.

Just like Dhoni and Rohit, Kohli has landed up in every IPL with fire in his belly, but the rub of the green hasn’t gone his way. He has had a 973-run season, in 2016, something that will be difficult to surpass even in these day and age where the shelf life of records is too less. He has played a few finals but, as far as winning the title is concerned, the IPL has had a fickle relationship with one of India’s greatest batters.

He is no longer the skipper and is probably in the best mental phase that he has been in the past three to four years. The hunger is intact, but the desperation isn’t there. The swagger remains, but the aggression is no longer there to be found.

This season holds special significance for Hardik Pandya. Having led Gujarat Titans to title triumph in only their inaugural year, the 16th IPL will be a platform for Pandya to soar higher and higher with bigger ambitions. With coach Ashish Nehra for company, he would want the Rashid Khans, Mohammed Shamis and the Shubman Gills to maintain the tempo of last year from start to finish. An encore would certainly make him Rohit’s heir apparent in the ODI format post the World Cup.