The atmosphere at the MA Chidambaram Stadium reached a fever pitch as MS Dhoni walked out to bat in Chennai Super Kings’ high-stakes clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in IPL 2025. The moment was nothing short of cinematic, with the stadium’s sound meter spiking to 120 dB, a volume typically associated with rock concerts and jet engines.
Dhoni came in to bat at 99/7 in 15.3 overs, after Ravichandran Ashwin was dismissed. With CSK needing 98 runs in 27 balls, the Chepauk faithful erupted as the legendary captain took center stage. It was a moment fans had been waiting for all evening—and when it finally happened, the roar was deafening.
Earlier, Dhoni’s delayed entry sparked criticism from several corners, including Irfan Pathan and Sanjay Bangar. Pathan tweeted, “I will never be in favour of Dhoni batting at number 9. Not ideal for the team,” while Bangar said on air, “The required run rate is above 16, they are 5 wickets down and yet Dhoni has not come to bat. He is embarrassing his fans.”
But with the noise at Chepauk reaching 120 decibels when he finally walked out, the fans made it clear—they’re behind their Thala no matter what. Whether he could pull off one of his signature late miracles was another question, but one thing was certain: Dhoni’s presence still commands electricity like no other in world cricket.
