IPL 2023: 3 reasons why MS Dhoni's record of 200 matches as captain will never be broken

MS Dhoni took the initiative once more to nearly lead his club to a miracle victory on a day when the veteran played his 200th game as CSK's captain, becoming the first captain to do so with a single franchise in Indian Premier League (IPL) history. He also captained the Rising Pune Supergiants for 14 games in addition to CSK.

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Now, let's examine 3 reasons why Dhoni's record of leading an IPL squad in more than 200 games will never be surpassed.

1. Number of seasons required to get close to the record

MS Dhoni (Source: Twitter)

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In the first season of the IPL, Dhoni captained the Chennai Super Kings, and he still does so now. He still maintains excellent physical condition at the age of 41 and performs admirably not just as captain but also as a batter and wicketkeeper.

To replicate Dhoni's record, a player must play in at least 14 IPL seasons, assuming he would captain his team for an average of about 15 games per season. Given that most cricketers these days retire in their mid-to late-thirties and that most captains are generally thought to be 25 or older, it seems unlikely that any player would surpass Dhoni's record.

2. IPL can be an unforgiving league

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David Warner (Source - Twitter)

The IPL is currently by far the hardest competition in cricket. Because of the league's fierce competition, captains and players are solely chosen based on recent performances rather than reputation or sentiment.

Midway through the IPL 2021, the SunRisers Hyderabad dropped a highly successful skipper like David Warner from the Playing XI and removed him from the captaincy. Ricky Ponting, one of the best captains and batters in the game, also gave up the captaincy in 2013 and was dropped from the playing XI by the Mumbai Indians. He was not given another opportunity.

3. Workload Management

Rohit Sharma (Source - Twitter)

Virat Kohli is in third place with 140 games, followed by Rohit Sharma in second place with 146 games as an IPL captain. After the IPL 2021, Kohli resigned as the captain of the RCB, citing workload management.

Cricketers play many games (for franchises and nations combined) each year. Hence injuries are a common occurrence. Due to international obligations, workload management issues, or injuries, international stars frequently leave competitions. Therefore, expecting anyone to lead an IPL club for even 10 seasons in contemporary cricket may be too much to ask.