As preparation for the forthcoming Indian Premier League season begins, captain of the Chennai Super Kings, MS Dhoni, touched down in Chennai on Tuesday. The reigning champions shared a photo of themselves with Dhoni, who helped them win their fifth championship the previous year, getting out of a car with the hashtag “#THA7A Dharisanam!” on social media.

There is a lot of conjecture that Dhoni’s playing career may be coming to an end this season. The 42-year-old primarily batted towards the tail end of the CSK innings last year. After the first group of CSK players arrived here one day earlier, the team started their pre-season training camp on Saturday.

The players who have arrived so far include Ruturaj Gaekwad, Deepak Chahar, Simarjeet Singh, Ajay Mandal, Shaik Rasheed and Nishant Sidhu among others.

On March 22, CSK will play their first IPL 2024 matchup against Royal Challengers Bangalore.

In a widely shared social media post on Monday, MS Dhoni mysteriously claimed that a “new role” awaits him in the “new season,” sending speculation into overdrive barely two weeks before the IPL begins.

Everyone was left wondering as the former captain of India, who guided the Chennai Super Kings to their fifth IPL championship the previous season, made no mention of the league or provided any details about the new position.

The 42-year-old primarily batted towards the tail end of the CSK innings last year. He has not yet stated if he intends to lead CSK in the 2024 Indian Premier League.

When asked if he would retire on a high note after winning the final the previous year, Dhoni, in typical Ranchi fashion, sidestepped the question by claiming that it would be tantamount to taking the easy route.

He continued by saying that, if his body permitted it, he would try to return the following season as CSK captain.