GT vs CSK, IPL 2025: Attention turns to Dhoni in Chennai Super Kings’ last league game against Gujarat Titans

GT vs CSK, IPL 2025: Attention turns to Dhoni in Chennai Super Kings’ last league game against Gujarat Titans

Chennai Super Kings will look to plunder Gujarat Titans’ home-base when the teams play their final IPL 2025 group-stage fixture on Sunday at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

The stakes are higher for GT, which is guaranteed a top-two finish if it wins. A loss could still see newly appointed India Test skipper Shubman Gill’s side getting two shots at making the final, but it would have to await other results. CSK, already eliminated, has nothing to lose. With an eye on the future, it will bode well if the Super Kings try to provide some game time to a few promising youngsters on the bench.

The triumvirate of openers Gill and B. Sudharsan, and No. 3 Jos Buttler has accounted for 1,807 (~74 per cent) of the 2,429 runs that the Titans have scored this season. With Buttler headed to England for the West Indies series ahead of the Playoffs, and a largely untested middle order, which faltered even in GT’s previous fixture against Lucknow Super Giants, the management has some head-scratching to do. The Titans’ assistant coach, Matthew Wade, did talk about a ‘no nets up’ session to give his players a match-like experience, but thus far, except for Sherfane Rutherford, no one has been able to step up to the plate.

The form of Rashid Khan is also making GT sweat. The Afghanistan spinner has been lacklustre throughout the season, struggling to pitch the ball in the right areas. A 25-run over in the previous fixture almost ended up being the difference between the two sides. His present economy of 9.38 with only eight wickets to show for his efforts has been his worst performance in the history of the T20 League.

But come matchday, all of these will be put on the back burner. For spectators and the broadcaster alike will have their eyes peeled to catch the subtlest change of mannerisms of 43-year-young M. S. Dhoni, who has tried to trudge on despite diminishing returns.

In recent years, CSK’s final games of the season have been less about the match itself and more of whether the team’s talisman might announce his retirement.

Social media had flown off the handle when eagle-eyed fans spotted a pattern of dots and dashes on their beloved Thala’s T-shirt ahead of the 2025 pre-season training. It turned out the cryptic message read ‘One Last Time’ in Morse code. In a rare occurrence, Dhoni’s parents added fuel to the rumours by attending a match in Chepauk.

So, it won’t be surprising if the elephant in the room is tickled again at the toss on Sunday. However, the Madras makkal (people of Chennai) can only hope the reply comes in the two words they have been fond of hearing since 2020.