'They are trying to give me a farewell': MS Dhoni thanks fans as Eden Gardens turns yellow

Eden Gardens, the home of Kolkata Knight Riders, turned into a stadium full of yellow colour for MS Dhoni during KKR’s IPL 2023 match against Chennai Super Kings on Sunday. There’s no confirmation that Dhoni will retire after the 2023 season, but there are speculations and fans in Kolkata turned up in big numbers wearing CSK’s yellow jersey to celebrate Dhoni. IPL 2023:  Full coverage  |  Points table  |  Schedule  |  Results  |  Orange Cap  |  Purple Cap​ The 41-year-old Jharkhand player has a special connection with Eden Gardens and Kolkata, having played a lot of cricket there in domestic competitions. The biggest cheer on the night was reserved for Dhoni and it came when the former India skipper stepped out to bat.

The entry of MS Dhoni in Eden Gardens. pic.twitter.com/AXVR1XbSN2

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) April 23, 2023

Eventually, CSK won the match by 49 runs after scoring 235/4 with Ajinkya Rahane smashing 71 not out and Shivam Dube making 50. After the match, Dhoni thanked the fans for giving him a great reception which he saw as a farewell. “I will just say thanks for the support, they came in big numbers. Most of these guys will come in a KKR jersey next time. They are trying to give me a farewell, so thanks a lot to the crowd,” Dhoni said. The CSK captain was also seen taking pictures with all groundsmen after Chennai’s victory. He also praised his bowlers for restricting KKR to 186/8 and executing the plans well in a stadium with a small boundary. “Fast bowlers are doing their job, so are spinners in the middle. The wicket was short on one side so we needed to get early wickets and keep the pressure. They have plenty of power hitters, so we had to give the respect to the opposition.” KKR vs CSK: Top moments from IPL match On the injuries front, Dhoni said that there’s no time to worry about what is not in his hands. Currently, Ben Stokes and Deepak Chahar are out of action for CSK. “I have a clear funda. If someone is injured, he can’t do anything. You just move on and motivate the youngsters to perform. We have been fortunate that all the guys coming in are performing,” he said. Rahane’s form with the bat is a big reason behind CSK’s good run where they have won the last three matches. Dhoni said that giving freedom to Rahane has worked for the batter. “We realise the potential of someone when we allow him to bat the way he bats. We give him the freedom, give him the best position. In a team environment, someone has to sacrifice his slot to allow others to get more comfortable, and allow the team to succeed,” Dhoni added. Read all the  Latest News ,  Trending News ,  Cricket News ,  Bollywood News ,  India News  and  Entertainment News  here. Follow us on  Facebook,  Twitter and  Instagram.