Dhoni garnered admiration and accolades from netizens when he was spotted traveling in economy class while flying to Ranchi from Bengaluru.
In a video that is doing the rounds on social media, Dhoni was seen placing his luggage in the overhead compartment before settling into his assigned seat.
The fellow passengers on the flight seized the opportunity to capture the moments on their mobile phones. As Dhoni took his place, the cabin erupted in a spontaneous round of applause, acknowledging his presence and showing their appreciation for the beloved player.
Social media was abuzz with admiration for him, with many praising his simplicity and approachability.
After CSK failed to make it to the playoffs following their defeat against RCB, speculation has been rife that Dhoni could have played his last IPL season.
The former CSK skipper, who had undergone surgery to treat a knee injury issue last year, scored 161 runs in 73 balls at a strike rate of 220.55 this season. He was also good behind the stumps.
However, CEK CEO Kasi Viswanathan said he is ‘very, very hopeful’ of Dhoni participating in IPL 2025 as a player.
“I do not know. It is a question which only MS can answer. The question for us, we have always respected the decisions taken by MS. We have left it to him,” he said to a question on CSK’s YouTube channel.
“As all of you know, he has always taken his decisions and announced them at the appropriate time. We do expect that we will get a decision as and when he decides.
“But we are very, very hopeful that he will be available for CSK next year. That is the view and expectations of the fans and mine.”