Hailed as one of the finest ever cricketer white-ball cricketers to play the game - MS Dhoni is an asset for any side he plays for be it at any level. Apart from leading India to many historical triumphs in the past, Dhoni has played a major role in orchestrating the rise of popular IPL-franchise Chennai Super Kings. Under his leadership, CSK have emerged as a stronger force to reckon with in the T20 extravaganza and boast a consistent record.
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Former South African all-rounder Albie Morkel feels Dhoni and stability have been the two big factors that have contributed to Chennai Super Kings being one of the most successful teams in history of IPL. The former Proteas player also believes 'Dhoni the brand' matters and he is still supremely fit to run the show.
"He (Dhoni) plays a big role," Morkel was quoted by SportStar. "We all know how big Dhoni is in India. He is one of the best T20 and white-ball players ever to play the game and if you get him as a leader, it is going to bring success as he knows how to get the best out of his players." Morkel retired from all forms of the game in January 2019 and is the third highest wicket-taker for CSK with 91 scalps. CSK are known to have had players like Suresh Raina and Dwayne Bravo who have been with the team for a long time alongwith Dhoni and for their tendency to buy experienced players who may be considered past their prime. "It all comes from keeping your core group of players together for a long time and have the same captain, Dhoni, for all seasons except for the two years when they weren't part of the competition," he said. "Consistency is their secret. Over the last few seasons, they have made the finals eight times out of 10," he added. Morkel, who retired from all forms of cricket last year, misses "the moments of the IPL." He was part of the South Africa Legends side for the Road Safety Series which got paused mid-way due to the pandemic. "But also I have accepted that my time is over. You need to move on. I have spent fantastic years with CSK who are still very successful. It is great to be back for the Road Safety Series, intensity is a little lower and the guys are all looking a bit rounder. But good fun." CSK were scheduled to take on Mumbai Indians in the first match of the IPL 2020 edition on March 29 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. However, the start of the season has been postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic that has gripped the country.