With a heavyweight like Sanju Samson joining Chennai Super Kings ahead of TATA IPL 2026, the succession plan is already in motion for the five-time champions. Faf du Plessis and Aakash Chopra weighed in on how CSK can make the best use of MS Dhoni and his ideal entry point with the bat.

Faf du Plessis reckoned that CSK would make best use of MS Dhoni on the field rather than with the bat:

“MS Dhoni is the best tactician and one of the most successful cricketers in the game when it comes to leadership. But I don’t think CSK saw him playing as many seasons as he eventually did. So, they had to look at who was going to be the next Captain. Ruturaj was the next guy, and I thought, coming into his first season, he did a great job. It’s just unfortunate that he got injured last season, where they missed him as a batter and as a Captain. In terms of tactics, MS is one of the most brilliant minds. So, I’ll always have him on the field because you need his cricketing brain. The way he sees and reads the game, and the way you see him manoeuvre fields, that’s his real superpower. Yes, we’ve loved watching him bat. But for me, it’s more about what he brings on the field, and that’s something CSK have to use.”

On whether MS Dhoni should be promoted up the order if he bats:

“There are a handful of players in the world who have that clarity and backing to do it in the 19th and 20th overs. The mere mortals out there think there is more pressure in the 19th and 20th overs than in the 16th. But his clarity in those last 18 balls of the match, when he can really zone in on what is required, is second to none. If you send him in earlier and he gets out, you lose that at the back end. And there are enough players in CSK’s middle order who can do more damage in those phases, players like Brevis and Dube, who are exceptional spin-hitters. That is their strength, so back them to do that. MS’s strength has always been in overs 17 to 20, facing the seamers.”

On how MS Dhoni’s sheer presence makes a difference on the field for CSK:

“MS Dhoni being behind the stumps doesn’t always equate to something happening, but what it does is create a little bit of doubt in the mind of a young batter walking in. When I walk out to bat, I might think, ‘What’s this field? Why on earth are two men there?’ even if he is not weak in that area. So, he plants a seed of doubt, even if it’s just through an angle change. For a split second, as a batter, you are thinking about something else. The good ones will flick back to their strengths and game plan, while others will keep thinking about what he’s doing with the field and possibly get out. And don’t forget, he is still the quickest gloveman in the game.”

Aakash Chopra shared his thoughts on whether MS Dhoni is still the unofficial captain of CSK on the field:

“There’s a small analogy. If you want your baby to start walking, you need to hold their hand and teach them. But if you want them to run, you need to let go. If you keep holding on, they will never learn to run. From Dhoni’s point of view, if somebody has been anointed as the next Captain, then he has to take a backseat, and I think he already has. If you look at the auction and the way the team has been built, it is not the team MS Dhoni would have built if it were left entirely to him. Would he go with these many youngsters in one go? This is Ruturaj Gaikwad’s team. MS Dhoni will observe things and not say much. He might offer advice here and there, but that’s where it stops. He did that well with Virat Kohli at the international level as well, allowing them to grow and prosper. And if they seek help, he is always there.”

On the prospect of MS Dhoni playing as an Impact Player:

“You don’t run the team from the dugout, it’s not football. In cricket, you need to be on the field, and MS Dhoni’s biggest asset is his ability to read the game better than anybody else. That clarity and conviction are what make him who he is. In any case, I feel this could be his last season. He has the heir apparent now. Sanju Samson will eventually don the gloves, it could even happen at some stage during this season. Again, conditions apply in terms of MS Dhoni’s fitness and his knee. But he cannot be the Impact Player. If he is playing as an Impact Player, I think it’s time for him to hang up his boots.”