CSK vs DC: Will MS Dhoni bury the ghosts of 2020 and light up IPL 2021?

After the low of IPL 2020, onus is on MS Dhoni to revive his batting and captaincy with Chennai Super Kings.

It's a bumper Saturday, and what better way to make the weekend even more exciting than the return of the King. Nope, not King Kohli. The real King. The Thala. Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who will lead Chennai Super Kings as they face last year's runner-up Delhi Capitals in their IPL opener at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium.

What can MS Dhoni conjure in IPL 2021? (PTI)

Five months after enduring their worst season, CSK will be out on a mission, which will be to re-establish themselves as IPL heavyweights. CSK are three-time winners, the second most successful franchise ever in history, a team that still is, historically, the most consistent of all eight IPL franchises. Do you remember what gave them this title? If not, let us refresh your memory. Eight IPL finals, three title wins, five runner-up finishes. That seems to sum it up.

Plenty was said and spoken last year, when for the first time in history, the Men in Yellow, failed to make it to the IPL playoffs. In fact, they finished second from bottom, a sight not many imagined they'd see. But it happened, leaving the franchise and Dhoni alike with more questions than answers. A month after Dhoni announced he was done with international cricket, the former India captain endured his worst IPL season statistically. He tallied just 200 runs, failing to go past fifty even once.

This time around, with absolutely no match practice behind, it will take Dhoni a while to get going, if there is gas left in the tank that is. After CSK's last match of IPL 2020, Dhoni was quick to realise that it's time to move on from the old bunch of warriors and inject an air of freshness in the team. Perhaps the 'Dad's Army' was finally catching up, and the once proven match-winners were beginning to wilt. However, despite the IPL auction, there wasn't much change in CSK's team structure. Barring a few fresh faces, the likes of Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, Dwayne Bravo are still part of the squad. One of the foremost things on Dhoni's agenda will be to ensure that the youth is given enough opportunities. Ruturaj Gaekwad over Rayudu, Sam Curran over Dwayne Bravo and so on.

Then there is the inclusion of Cheteshwar Pujara, India's Test hero. 11 years after Pujara had made his India debut under Dhoni, he is set to play once again under him. But will his captain be cool enough to trust him despite batting with a re-modelled action and smoking CSK bowlers in the nets? A huge chunk Dhoni's success has been because of the gut instincts he's had towards player. Does he have it for Pujara is a question that will be answered shortly.

Lastly, we move to Dhoni the batsman. In IPL 2021, especially against Delhi Capitals, will Dhoni's batting prowess, which has been on the wane lately, rise to the occasion? DC might be lacking Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada and Axar Patel, but they have more than capable resources to make amends. As a matter of fact, DC's second-string side looks equally stronger, which should send alarms bells to the CSK camp.

Dhoni has a few records in front of waiting to be shattered. He needs two more dismissal to effect of those and become the first ever to do so in the IPL. Dhoni is 179 runs away from completing 7000 runs in all of T20 cricket. Besides, having hit the most sixes in death overs, Dhoni needs 14 more to complete 200 sixes while playing for CSK. And while in any other season, this would seem a routine affair, the dynamics have changed a lot since last year.

Dhoni has been the quintessential leader of CSK. His stature is perhaps next only to the demigod - Superstar Rajinikanth, in the south. But despite being at the forefront of CSK's success, Dhoni finds himself at the crossroads. With Dhoni's cricket appearances limited only to the IPL, CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan recently stated that he doesn't think this could be his final IPL. But another forgettable season and it could well be the end of a glorifying IPL career for the most popular and scrutinized Indian cricketer barring Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli.

Does Dhoni have one final cannon ball to deliver?