On Monday, March 25, the IPL announced the fixtures for the remainder of the 2024 season. Fans eagerly awaited the final match to see if MS Dhoni could lead CSK to one last IPL title and end his illustrious career on a high note. Former New Zealand all-rounder Scott Styris boldly predicted that Dhoni would retire a winner and that Chennai would reach the 2024 final.
Styris also believed that Dhoni could secure a sixth IPL championship for Chennai this year. Chennai is already receiving praise for maintaining their typical excellence in the tournament after winning their season opener against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on March 22.
Despite Dhoni giving the captain's armband to Ruturaj Gaikwad, Chennai still emerged victorious over Bengaluru. In an analysis on JioCinema's IPL 2024 show, Styris explained how Dhoni and Chennai could contend in the playoffs:
“I believe, CSK have a big probability of making it to the finals again. They have a good opportunity to make it to the championship match. While it’s possible MSD could emerge victorious, it’s premature to say they will definitely win.”
The ex-New Zealand all-rounder was a member of the Chennai Super Kings squad under Dhoni's captaincy that won the 2011 IPL title, creating a special bond with the franchise. However, IPL 2024 has brought significant changes to the Chennai team, with Gaikwad taking over as captain from Dhoni.
Gaikwad secured his first victory as captain when Chennai defeated Bangalore by six wickets. With this momentum, he aims to lead Chennai to another victory in their upcoming match against the Gujarat Titans on March 26.