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'He's playing only for...': Sehwag's Remark on Dhoni Playing As An Impact Player 

image-li8itapeCSK Skipper, MS Dhoni (Twitter)

According to Virender Sehwag, the former Indian opener, MS Dhoni will either continue playing as a first-team player or retire from the game. Sehwag believes that Dhoni doesn't fit into the criteria of the Impact Player rule, which has been a topic of discussion during the IPL 2023 season. 

The uncertainty surrounding Dhoni's future has generated significant speculation, with many suggesting that this could be his final appearance in the tournament. Dhoni has chosen to keep his future plans undisclosed, maintaining a secretive approach. 

However, Dwayne Bravo has proposed that Dhoni could potentially leverage the Impact Player rule to his advantage and continue playing. The final decision rests with Dhoni himself, and fans eagerly await any updates regarding his future in cricket.

In an interview with Cricbuzz, Virender Sehwag expressed his disagreement with the notion that MS Dhoni could continue playing as an Impact Player using the designated rule. Sehwag stated that Dhoni doesn't meet the criteria for the rule, and his presence in the team is primarily due to his captaincy skills. 

Sehwag further emphasized that the Impact Player rule is designed for specific players, implying that Dhoni doesn't fall into that category. Sehwag also speculated that if Dhoni were to step down as captain, he might not continue playing as an Impact Player. In such a scenario, Sehwag suggested the possibility of Dhoni taking on a management role within the team.

"It's not difficult (to play cricket in 40s), if you're fit. MS Dhoni hasn't batted too much this year. He's not aggravating his knee injury. Often, he would come in the last two overs. If I count the total balls he faced, I think he would've faced 40-50 deliveries this season."

He also added:

“Impact Player rule doesn't apply on MS Dhoni. Because he's playing only for captaincy. He has to stay in the ground for captaincy. Impact Player rule is for someone who doesn't field but bats, or a bowler who doesn't need to bat. Dhoni has to field 20 overs; if he's not the captain, he won't even play as Impact Player. Then, you will see him as mentor or coach or Director of Cricket.”