Dhoni has generally stayed away from social media, usually sticking to putting out sponsored posts or advertisements. His recent post on Facebook differed, though, with no brand associations as he informed his followers about a ‘new role’ he would be beginning soon.

There has been a lot of debate and queries about Dhoni’s future in the IPL after the former India skipper underwent knee surgery last June. Dhoni, aged 42, led Chennai Super Kings to their fifth IPL title in 2023, following which he revealed his plans, saying that while it would be easier on his body if he retired, the adulation he received could force him to return in 2024 as a CSK captain if his fitness permitted. Dhoni last played for India in the semi-final of the 2019 World Cup.

It has not been confirmed whether Dhoni will continue leading CSK this year but his latest post seems to have left fans guessing about his retirement and him taking up a coaching role with the side.

There is also speculation that the post could end up being another advertising gimmick, not too dissimilar to what Harsha Bhogle and Kapil Dev have attempted recently.

Bhogle was involved in an Instagram live session in 2022 before it came to an unexpected halt after the commentator was heard screaming “Kya hua? Kaun hai? Kaha se aa gaye? (What happened? Who are you? Where did you come from?)” It led to concerns over his safety before he clarified he was safe and that it was a “light-hearted thing” that became embarrassing in the end.

Soon after, Rajasthan Royals also pulled an elaborate prank involving their skipper Sanju Samson, in which he seemed to have taken offence to a post about him on the franchise’s social media account. Last year, a video of Kapil Dev being ‘kidnapped’ went viral on social media, which later turned out to be an advertisement for the streaming platform Disney+ Hotstar.