“That line stuck with me forever” - Former RCB player recalls during IPL 2025 interesting chat with MS Dhoni from 2017

Former Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) batter Shreevats Goswami has backed struggling Chennai Super Kings (CSK) legend MS Dhoni to continue playing the IPL, considering the value he adds for players. Goswami revealed valuable inputs he received from Dhoni in 2017 about how 'form' is within and not what's seen on the field.

Dhoni has been dominating the headlines over the past week for the wrong reasons, courtesy of his questionable batting position and approach for CSK. The 43-year-old walked in behind Ravichandran Ashwin at No. 9 in CSK's second game of IPL 2025 against RCB despite the contest getting out of hand.

Dhoni then failed to finish back-to-back run-chases against the Rajasthan Royals (RR) and the Delhi Capitals (DC), with his 26-ball 30* against the latter being heavily criticized by fans and experts.

Talking about Dhoni's impact on other players on X, Goswami recently said (via India Today):

"The only time I got to speak to him was when Bengal played Jharkhand in the Vijay Hazare Trophy semi-final. I clearly remember what he told me – 'Nobody has seen form. It's something within. Sometimes, you can even fake that you're in form with your body language. And it just takes one hit from the middle of the bat to truly feel it again.' That line stuck with me forever."

He added:

"That's why even now, so many young cricketers walk up to him for advice after every match. Players will miss him more than the fans do. Bowlers still feel more confident with him behind the stumps. Let him stay – we still want him out there on the ground."

Despite being dismissed only once and averaging 76, Dhoni is striking at a rate of under 139 in the ongoing IPL season. As a result, CSK are on a three-game losing streak after emerging victorious in their season opener against the Mumbai Indians (MI).

"Brand Dhoni is still very much alive" - Shreevats Goswami

Shreevats Goswami believes MS Dhoni still adds a lot of value to the IPL with his branding and that CSK's issues in this season have not stemmed only from his struggles. The 43-year-old led CSK to their fifth IPL title in 2023 before handing over the captaincy duties to Ruturaj Gaikwad ahead of the 2024 season.

However, the Men in Yellow missed the playoffs for only the third time last year and are second from bottom on the points table this season.

"The IPL is more than just cricket - it's also entertainment, economics, and big business for franchises. And let's be real, the brand Dhoni is still very much alive. Fans adore him not just for his cricketing skills, but for the leader he was and the deep connection he has with people," Goswami said in the same interview.

He added:

"Is the team struggling just because of Dhoni's batting form? Not exactly – but maybe a little. CSK does seem to lack that finishing firepower, so maybe someone like Shivam Dube could be tried in that role?"

CSK's next match will be against an in-form Punjab Kings (PBKS) unit in Mullanpur on Tuesday, April 8.