Credit: IPL
Former Team India captain MS Dhoni will be seen in action in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 and his presence will be crucial for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), who will be chasing their sixth title. Ahead of the marquee T20 competition, there are several reports that claim Dhoni might retire from the league after the 2025 IPL edition. However, there are still some reasons which might bind CSK to stop Dhoni from putting an end to his illustrious IPL career which has been going on since 2008. Discussing such, SportsTiger has come up with five reasons why MS Dhoni might be seen serving CSK in IPL 2026.
Here are five Reasons why MS Dhoni can play IPL 2026
5. Ruturaj Gaikwad yet to prove his captaincy prowess
MS Dhoni has the potential to groom Ruturaj Gaikwad to help him become an adept skipper. After holding the reins of the side in 2024, Gaikwad didn’t look confident and, CSK might urge Dhoni to extend his tenure to help Gaikwad get the better of shortcomings.
4. Potential to conclude games in style
MS Dhoni still possesses the capability to play match-finishing knocks while batting at the lower-middle-order. In the IPL 2024 season, his strike rate was 220.55, which corroborates the fact that he can bat fiercely and take CSK home in the final overs of the game.
3. No decline in fitness level
There hasn’t been any decline in Dhoni’s fitness level. Despite being a 43-year-old in the previous IPL edition, he displayed alacrity as a stumper. Standing behind the wickets, he assisted bowlers to get rid of batters with his 10 catches. He can also run briskly between the wickets while batting with youngsters in the middle.
2. CSK's popularity linked with Dhoni
CSK are heavily dependent on Dhoni to maintain their fan base. Dhoni’s retirement can result in Chennai facing a heavy slump in their popularity. Dhoni’s diligence and achievements have helped CSK gain followers all over the globe. Until CSK don’t add a star player like Dhoni, they might look to keep their five-time IPL-winning skipper with themselves for a couple of seasons.
1. Absence of reliable wicketkeeper-batter in the CSK squad
CSK don’t have a bankable wicketkeeper-batter who can maintain a stellar level of fitness like Dhoni and serve them throughout the season. New Zealand stalwart Devon Conway proved himself as a batter in 2023 but CSK’s confidence shook after the Kiwi stalwart couldn’t show up in 2024 due to fitness concerns.
