The 19th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is going to start soon. As the popularity of the league continues to grow year after year, with the addition of new teams and international players, former cricketers and experts have started speculating about players like MS Dhoni, who will turn 45 this year.
Dhoni is currently the oldest player in the IPL, having represented his team since 2008 and has played a total of 278 IPL matches, holding the record for playing the most number of matches in the history of the tournament. He has represented Chennai Super Kings and Rising Pune Supergiant (2016–2017) and has scored over 5,000 runs as a wicketkeeper-batsman.
However, since his surgery in 2023, Dhoni’s performance has declined; He has mostly played as an impact player or batted at number 7 or 8, usually in the final overs. Last season, he scored around 25 runs in 14 matches at an average strike rate of 135.7.
Role of MS Dhoni in today’s IPL
Many Indian fans turn to IPL to watch players who have retired from international cricket Virat Kohli And Rohit Sharma. The league has evolved significantly, with new franchises emerging and auction prices rising every year.
former cricketer Aakash Chopra Recently questions were raised whether the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) still needed Dhoni’s presence to maintain the growth and popularity of the league.
2023 to 2026: Will this be MS Dhoni’s last season?
After CSK’s last title win, MS Dhoni said in the post-match presentation that he had “one more year of cricket left.” Later he underwent knee surgery from sports medicine specialist Dr. Dinshaw Pardiwala. Asked how long he planned to stay in the post, Dhoni replied simply: At least another year.
As the 2026 season approaches, his longevity remains one of the game’s biggest talking points. Chopra believes that Dhoni’s self-awareness will decide his exit. He told RevSportz: “Whenever Mahendra Singh Dhoni comes on the field, his reputation comes first, and with it comes responsibility. He is playing because he loves the game. He has achieved everything there is to achieve. But the day he feels he is a liability, if he can’t hit a six, drop a catch, or miss a stumping, he will leave the field himself. He will say, ‘That’s just it.'”
Does IPL still need MS Dhoni?
Chopra raised the question: Despite the global popularity of the league, is Dhoni’s presence still necessary? He told that IPL has grown a lot and it is not dependent on just one player. International interest in the league remains high, even if players skip other competitions such as the PSL or ECB to participate.
“With all due respect to MS and other people, IPL has grown incredibly. A small child doesn’t learn to walk unless you hold his finger. But holding his finger has helped him grow. Now he’s running, and when he’s running, he doesn’t need anyone to hold his finger. Whether it’s MS or anyone else, there won’t be much of an impact on the ecosystem. IPL can take care of itself,” Chopra said.
However, the decision to play or not ultimately depends on MS Dhoni and the CSK team management. There is no doubt that his presence can impact the performance of any team, as we saw during the concluded ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. Dhoni was seen motivating the Indian team from the stands along with last year’s World Cup-winning captain Rohit Sharma during the semi-final and final matches against New Zealand and England.
No team would want to take the risk of losing such a genius who can change the course of the match from the pavilion. Against whom will Chennai Super Kings play their first match of the season? Rajasthan Royals In Guwahati on 30 March.
Also Read: “Shouldn’t be playing”: CSK legend suggests MS Dhoni to skip IPL 2026