MS Dhoni is four years past his international retirement and remains one of the biggest draws in cricket, yet continues to make headlines. The legendary captain still plays for Chennai Super Kings in the IPL, and a following close to being mythical clings onto him. Fans swamped stadiums to have a mere glimpse of “Captain Cool.”
Even the iconic jersey number 7 is so linked with his identity that for fans, it stands as an amiable sign that happens to be luckier by virtue of being held on the birthday date of 7 July. This passion for “number 7” has also spawned a catchy trend, “Thala for a reason,” whereby fans give the term “Thala” meaning “leader” in Tamil as a sobriquet for their cricketing idol.
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At a recent promotional function, MS Dhoni was quizzed about the etymology and significance of this fan-invented term. In characteristic humility and humour, he joked that he was not aware whether he had been completely abreast of its inception.
— ! (@DhoniVids) October 25, 2024
“I do know, but I don’t know the reason behind it. I’m not sure whether it’s funny, meant to pull my leg, just banter, or a meme. But whatever it is, I think my fans have turned it into something positive for me,” MS Dhoni shared. He praised his loyal fans, saying, “I don’t need to say anything. If anyone’s nasty, they handle it. I’m just focused on playing good cricket.”
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Present excitement among fans is about rumors of Dhoni’s possible return to the IPL season 2025. His current CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan recently spread the fire further by indicating that on October 31, the day before retention date for the mega-auction, it would be let known whether Dhoni might return to play another season or not. As fans search out with hope for that one more season with “Thala” at the top, they await his re-emergence into cricket for another season.
