Former India skipper MS Dhoni could be 39 years old already but for his Chennai Super Kings (CSK) teammate, Shane Watson, the wicket-keeper batsman ‘just doesn’t age’. Ahead of the start of the CSK camp for IPL 2020, Watson said that he is hopeful of seeing Dhoni continue playing into his forties.
Dhoni last played a professional cricket match back in July 2019 when India were knocked out of the ICC World Cup by New Zealand. Since then, the Ranchi-born cricketer has been on a sabbatical, with speculations over his international future showing no signs of an end.
In an interview with the Times of India, Watson said that he is hopeful of seeing the CSK skipper remain in action for a few more years, be it just in the IPL or international cricket, that is a call completely Dhoni has to take.
“MS still loves playing. He is an evergreen cricketer and it feels like he just doesn’t age. Look, with the kind of skills he has and the hard yards he puts in, MS can go on and play into his 40s. MS has been able to manage his body well. The way he is able to run consistently and showcase skills behind the stumps are just incredible. I am a big fan of MS and would want to see him continue playing whether it’s for CSK or internationally,” said Watson.
The Aussie all-rounder also spoke about playing the IPL Season 13 in UAE, that too in front of empty stadiums. Though Watson admitted that it is going to be a challenge for the players, they are expecting to reap rewards from the conditions of the Middle East and is hopeful that the Yellow Army would be cheering for them from a distance.
“It definitely will. The pitches are going to be on the slower side. We have some high-quality spinners in our side and we should be able to capitalize,” Watson said about the nature of the pitches in UAE.
