MS Dhoni offers prayers in Ranchi's Deori temple ahead of IPL 2020

Mahendra Singh Dhoni might not be seen donning the blues again, fear his fans. But the 38-year-old can surely turn things around in the yellow still. Dhoni will be playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 and fans are hoping that he makes a serious impact in the tournament to improve his chances to return to the national team for the T20 World Cup in Australia scheduled later this year. Ace commentator Harsha Bhogle also said recently that one good IPL can still change Dhoni’s international career, which for many, is as good as over.

The ace cricketer himself is perhaps also thinking it on similar lines. On Monday, a clean-shaven Dhoni went to offer prayers to the centuries-old idol of Goddess Durga in Deori Maa Temple near Ranchi. He went there apparently to seek blessings for IPL 2020 in which he will lead Chennai Super Kings (CSK).

Dhoni led the CSK to two consecutive finals after the returned to the IPL following a two-year suspension, winning it once. In 2018, the CSK beat Sunrisers Hyderabad to lift the trophy but lost to Mumbai Indians by a solitary run in the World Cup 2019 final.

Dhoni has not played for India after they crashed out of the ICC World Cup 2019 by losing the semi-final to New Zealand by 18 runs. Dhoni was India’s main hope on that day as he took them closer to the target but one brilliant throw from Martin Guptill caught him short of the crease and a valiant fifty went in vain after he partnered Ravindra Jadeja to bring the Men in Blue back to the game.

.@msdhoni visited Deori Maa today to seek blessings for IPL 2020! 💛🦁#PicOfTheDay #MSDhoni @ChennaiIPL pic.twitter.com/8kKkkf9nVa

— MS Dhoni Fans Official (@msdfansofficial) January 20, 2020

MS Dhoni’s fans were nostalgic after India beat Australia 2-1

Dhoni, who plays only the limited-over formats, has not featured for India again even as Virat Kohli’s team played in a number of series, winning most of them. Recently, India came from behind to beat Australia 2-1 in an ODI series that would make the fans nostalgic.

Last year, around the same time, Dhoni played a key role in helping India beat the Kangaroos in a three-match ODI series Down Under by hitting three consecutive fifties and ended up as the player of the series. The former World Cup-winning captain has recently been excluded from the BCCI’s central contracts.

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