IPL 2023: MS Dhoni set to join Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma in elite list during CSK's IPL opener against GT

The Indian Premier League (IPL), India's premier T20 tournament, is finally back in India after a four-year hiatus. This year, the matches will take place in their original home-and-away format, adding to the excitement of the tournament. The defending champions, Gujarat Titans, will kick off the 2023 edition of the IPL against the four-time winners, Chennai Super Kings, at the iconic Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Friday, March 31.

Last year, the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings finished in the second-to-last position in the league table, winning only four of the 14 matches played. However, this year, under the inspirational leadership of Dhoni, they are looking to stage a sensational comeback. The Chennai-based side lost both of their league stage matches against Hardik Pandya and co. last season, but they are determined to turn things around this year.

During the first match of this year's IPL, when CSK takes the field against Gujarat, Chennai's captain, MS Dhoni, will have an opportunity to join the likes of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma on an elite list. The 41-year-old wicketkeeper-batter, who has played in all 15 seasons of the league to date, needs just 22 runs to join the star duo and four others on the list of batters who have scored 5000 or more runs in the IPL.

Dhoni, who holds the record for playing the most matches in IPL history, has amassed an impressive 4978 runs in 234 games. If he scores just 22 more runs on Friday, he will join the elite group of seven cricketers who have reached the coveted 5000-run mark. This exclusive club currently includes Virat Kohli, Shikhar Dhawan, David Warner, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina, and AB de Villiers, all of whom have achieved this remarkable feat. 

In the last three editions of the IPL, he has struggled to score big runs. However, in 2023, which is expected to be his final appearance in the IPL as a player, he is determined to put on a good show with the bat. 

Dhoni aims to break Raina's record of most runs for CSK in the IPL by the end of the season. Raina, a former CSK middle-order batter, scored an impressive 4687 runs in 176 matches for Chennai in the IPL. In comparison, Dhoni has scored 4404 runs in 204 matches. With this goal in mind, Dhoni is eager to showcase his skills and leave a lasting impression on his fans.

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