Will MS Dhoni retire after IPL 2026? Tata Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 is just around the corner. The blockbuster tournament is scheduled to begin on March 28, 2026. In the opening game of the competition, defending champions Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) will face Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). Due to the assembly elections, till now the IPL committee has announced the first 20 matches.
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) has started its training for the mega event. The five-time champions will forget their last season, where they finished at the bottom of the points table for the first time in the franchise’s history. They have created a completely new team in which MS Dhoni is still present as a team player.
MS Dhoni, King of CSK
Although MS Dhoni has stepped down from the captaincy after the 2023 edition of the IPL, and handed over the responsibility to Ruturaj Gaikwad, Gaikwad still remains as a player for the franchise.
Dhoni has the most unique connection with CSK. MS Dhoni has been associated with the team since the inception of the league in 2008. He is the only player to remain associated with the franchise so far.
However, with age on the rise, the former India captain is now 44, and has not been at his best in the tournament in the last few seasons. His instincts have slowed down, and he now comes to bat only for a few balls and cannot bat for a long time and finish the game for the team.
Where will CSK fit in Dhoni?
Now that CSK has bought Sanju Samson from Rajasthan Royals (RR) for Rs 18 crore, the question arises whether Dhoni will play all the matches, as Samson is the regular keeper of the Indian national cricket team and also keeps wicket for the Royals.
The Impact Player rule has also greatly limited Dhoni’s participation. Now he is often used as a lower number 8 batsman, coming in to score quick runs off a few balls. Although this strategy sometimes works, it also results in inconsistency for the wicketkeeper batsman.
CSK also have the option of Kartik Sharma, a dynamic young batsman who can hit long sixes as well as save wickets. The Yellow team is in a phase of change and now it has become a headache for the management to fit Dhoni in the team.
Is IPL 2026 the end of MS Dhoni?
There are three wicketkeepers in the team with Dhoni, Samson and Karthik. Do they really want three wicketkeepers in the team? Where does MS Dhoni fit in a team that is slowly moving towards change?
The team, relying only on experienced campaigners, bought two uncapped players, Karthik Sharma and Prashant Veer in the auction for around Rs 30 crore. This reflects a change in management philosophy. He has the headache of not being able to include his most experienced player in the team.
IPL 2026 could finally be the season where they bid farewell to their most successful captain Dhoni, considering the young players in the team, the player himself may retire after this season.
Also Read: Why did Ricky Ponting allow Marco Janson to join Punjab Kings late for IPL 2026?
