MS Dhoni deserves big crowd send-off: Michael Vaughan wants grand IPL 2021 exit for Thala

Soon after MS Dhoni stated that he would return to action in the IPL 2021, Former England captain Michael Vaughan said that Dhoni must play his final IPL game in front of the crowd as he deserves a grand exit from the sport. MS Dhoni's drop in form and Chennai's ill fortune this season in the IPL where they have failed to qualify for the playoffs cast a doubt on the skipper's future in the IPL.

Speaking on a cricket show, Vaughan said that the former Indian skipper will have to play until IPL happens in a normal crowd. Further citing Dhoni's sudden disappearance from international cricket, Vaughan said that he wants a grand crowd for Dhoni's last game,

“If the IPL takes place in the UAE next year again, which there are whispers it will happen, MS Dhoni will have to play another year. He cannot finish his IPL career in front of no crowd. He has to play at least one game the following year. He cannot go out in front of no crowds. If there is one player who deserves a big crowd to say goodbye to – if he probably cannot play, he would just disappear and say goodbye without us knowing about it – like he did in international cricket. But I want to see a grand crowd for his last game,” Vaughan said.

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Danny Morrisson asked MS at the toss on Sunday if it was his last match in the IPL. Thala confidently cleared the air with his answer - that there was more to come. 

At the toss, Danny Morrison asked MS Dhoni if it was his last match in the IPL, to which the latter replied, "Definitely Not." 

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Earlier, Chennai CEO K Viswanath had also asserted that the skipper will lead the franchise in the IPL 2021 which is nearly six months away. Chennai skipper MS Dhoni has had a terrible season this year as he has only managed 199 runs at a strike rate of just 118.45 from 12 matches. ‘Captain Cool’ is also one of the undisputed legends of the Indian Premier League (IPL) competition as he has led the Chennai franchise to title glory on three occasions (2009, 2010 and 2018). Having made his tournament debut back in the inaugural edition (2008), MS Dhoni constantly delivered with the bat and was a leader for his side up until the 2019 event.

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