BIRMINGHAM, 26 JULY

West Indies legend Dwayne Bravo is "baffled" by the buzz about the future of Chennai Super Kings stalwart MS Dhoni's highly speculated swansong in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Bravo, who has spent the prolific half of his career in the cash-rich league with Dhoni at CSK, believes the CSK icon will walk away when he feels his body can no longer take it.

Several fans and former cricketers have voiced their opinion that it is time for Dhoni to hang up his boots in the IPL. However, Dhoni, who turned 44 earlier this month, remained coy about his future with the five-time champions after the end of the 18th season.

The reason fans and experts are demanding Dhoni's retirement stems from his fitful outings during Chennai's shambolic campaign. His knee injury two years ago has hampered his running between the wickets, and limited time on the crease has added fuel to the fire. Despite those individual moments, he failed to save his side from finishing at the bottom of the table for the first time in the history of the competition. However, Bravo holds a different view from the common notion.

"I think because of, you know, people have so much high expectations of him. That, you know, when they see him play, he's not performing at the same level he was before. People start questioning. But you have to understand that he's not the same person he was 10, 8, or 12 years ago. But I think what people need to remember is that MS don't need a name. MS don't need a brand. It's more important than anything else," Bravo told ANI.

Midway through the season, he took the captaincy mantle on his shoulders while donning the finisher's role. He pulled the curtains down on the season with 196 runs from 14 matches at 24.50, with a Player of the Match award against Lucknow Super Giants. Behind the stumps, Dhoni turned back the clock and ignited the stumps with his lightning-quick reflexes on numerous occasions, serving as a stark reminder of his mastery with gloves. For Bravo, people would pay to see those fleeting moments being executed by 'Captain Cool'.

"You know, the little moments that he's on that field, face value, you can pay for that. You know, someone like him walks away from the sport, the sport can dip. You know, so I think people just need to allow him. I know for a fact that CSK management is not worried about MS Dhoni," he said.

"So the fact that other people are so worried and so concerned about him, it baffles me. He will walk away from the sport when he believes his body can no longer take it. He's going to be honest with himself, and he'll walk away. But at the moment, he is still contributing. His wicketkeeping is still up there with the best in the leagues," he added.

While playing the finisher's role, Dhoni hammered 12 towering maximums throughout the season, adding the firepower in CSK's tail. Bravo admitted that Dhoni is beyond the point where he can pull off a 300- or 400-run campaign, but urged the fans to cherish the time the venerable star has left.

"And he's batting at number 8. So, I mean, hitting a couple of sixes, that's what a number 8 does. You know, I don't think people should want to see MS Dhoni score 300-400 runs in a season. That's not the MS Dhoni. He's not going to do that. But let us just appreciate and accept the fact that he's still about a year or two. However long, let's enjoy that and let's embrace it," Bravo concluded.

Bravo is currently a part of the West Indies Champions in the World Championships of Legends (WCL) 2025. Despite the high-profile names, the Caribbean side boasts just a solitary win out of three fixtures. WI Champions owner Ajay Sethi hopes that his team gives its best on the field.

"And I think in the end, winning or losing is not in your hands. You have to try your best, give your best. The result, you know, depends on. But I think you have to play very competitive cricket in the end, and winning is the strength," Sethi said.

The West Indies Champions will take on the Pakistan Champions in the 11th Match of the WCL 2025 at Leeds on Saturday.