'I still haven't...': MS Dhoni drops tantalising hint on his future as CSK wins IPL 2021

The MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings beat the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by 27 runs to win the IPL 2021 final. IPL 2021 is the fourth title won by CSK (2010, 2011, 2018, 2021), as they resume their hunt to chase down five-time champions Mumbai Indians to be the outright top team in the tournament's history.

After the match, MS Dhoni was elated to win his fourth championship as captain, as he appreciated and thanked the players for the way they played. He also praised KKR for the way they fought back to make it to the playoffs after winning just two of their first seven matches.

IPL 2021 final: MS Dhoni reveals delight to win fourth title

"Before I start talking about CSK, it's important I talk about KKR. For the position they were in after the first phase, to perform this well, it's very difficult. If any team deserved to win the IPL this year, it is KKR for the way they have played. I think the break helped them. Yes, we are the most consistent team looking at the stats but we have also lost finals. Not letting the opposition in is something we consciously wanted to improve. I hope CSK in the coming years will be known for that. We don't really talk a lot. It's more one on one. People are more open that way. The moment you talk in a team room there is a bit of pressure. You can't deliver without a good team. We also have great individuals as well. I would love to thank the fans. We are in Dubai now. Even when we played in South Africa, we always got a good amount of support. Thanks to all of them. It feels like Chepauk, Chennai. Hopefully, we will come back to play in front of the Chennai fans next year."

After Harsha Bhogle asked Dhoni if he will play again for CSK again, the CSK skipper teased that with two more franchises coming in, one never knows how things unfold. However, when Harsha asked him about the legacy he left behind, Dhoni teased the fans by cheekily responding, 'Well, I still haven't left behind.'

It's not entirely clear what exactly Dhoni meant - whether it was that he's still not been left behind (in Cricketing terms), or that he's not left (i.e. that he's still very much there) or that he's not yet left a legacy behind. Whatever the case may be, the glint in Dhoni's eyes indicated quite clearly that he may remain a fixture in the IPL next year.

 IPL 2021 final: CSK beat KKR by 27 runs to win fourth title

The IPL 2021 final was a one-sided contest as the Chennai Super Kings beat the Kolkata Knight Riders by a huge margin of 27 runs. Having been put in to bat first, CSK scored an outstanding 192 runs in the first innings, with orange cap winner Ruturaj Gaikwad and opening partner Faf du Plessis leading the charge from the front. Gaikwad scored 32 runs off 27 deliveries in the final to increase his run tally to 635 runs in IPL 2021. Meanwhile, du Plessis scored a staggering 86 runs off just 59 balls to increase his run tally to 633 runs in IPL 2021.

In response, KKR suffered a dramatic collapse after a decent start. Openers Shubman Gill (51) and Venkatesh Iyer (50) opened the innings with a 91-run partnership before the latter got out in the 11th over. Since the fall of Iyer's wicket, there was a collapse in the middle order as they went from 91-1 at one stage to 123-7. None of the middle-order batters could get past the double-digit mark.

After the loss of seven wickets, Lockie Ferguson and Shivam Mavi showed some hope for the KKR supporters as they played cameos of 18 runs and 20 runs respectively. However, their knocks were never going to be enough to trouble the CSK bowlers, who looked in control until the end of the 20 overs. Shardul Thakur was once again the pick amongst the bowlers as he ended the match with figures of 3-38.

(Image: IPLT20.com)