'MS Dhoni will retire from cricket after IPL 2021': Former Australia spinner Brad Hogg

MS Dhoni is reaching the age where people have begun to ask 'the question' — when is he going to retire? While Dhoni himself has remained tight-lipped regarding his retirement, according to former Australian cricketer Brad Hogg, Dhoni is going to retire at the end of the ongoing Indian Premier League 2021 (IPL 2021). Dhoni has led Chennai Super Kings to the top of the standings and it looks like they will comfortably make it to a playoff spot.

Speaking on his YouTube vlog, Hoggs Vlog, he said,

"I think he’s going to retire at the end of the year from IPL cricket. The way he got out to Chakravarthy the other day with the wrong un’, there was a huge gap between bat and pad. I think the reflexes of the 40-year-old are just starting to wane. His keeping has been sensational."

Dhoni helping youngsters develop

So far the CSK skipper has not had a great IPL season in terms of his own performance. He has scored a total of 52 runs in eight matches with an average of 10.40. That's the lowest average he has ever had in his IPL career, last season was the previous lowest when he had an average of 25 but now it's less than half of that. The only thing most likely keeping him going is that his leadership skills are helping the team to a lot of wins.

“It’s good for Indian cricket and CSK that he is still going because of his leadership out in the middle. He’s keeping things calm and helped Jadeja grow as a cricketer and developing youngsters as well. Just the way that he walked off, that body language, there was a glint in the eye that said 'I think I’ve just lost that sharpness, I think my days are numbered'," Hogg added.

Dhoni to mentor Team India at T20 Wolrd Cup

Dhoni was also announced as the mentor of Team India for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, which begins after the completion of IPL 2021. Such are his leadership skills that the BCCI chose to keep him in that capacity. Hogg then applauded Dhoni and said that he sees the CSK skipper eventually move into management and even as the head coach of CSK.

"At the age of 40 and with the role that he’s got with the Indian Cricket Team going into that T20 World Cup, I think he’ll move into a management role or even the head coach of CSK,” Hogg said. "Probably the management role and sit alongside Stephen Fleming and help out develop the youngsters but also create a good strategy for the new wave of CSK cricketers moving forward because you need someone of that quality around that knows Indian conditions, knows the Indian people and has a good rapport with the players," he further noted. 

As of now, it is unknown whether the World Cup-winning captain will retire after this season or not. The answer to the question lies with Dhoni and we will only know after the IPL is over.

(Image: PTI/@brad_hogg/Instagram)