Former Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has opened up about the role MS Dhoni can play for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the upcoming IPL 2026. Ashwin feels that fans can see MS Dhoni batting much higher this season instead of coming in at No. 8 or No. 9 like last season.
MS Dhoni trained hard after tough IPL 2025
There is huge excitement among CSK fans after pictures and videos from MS Dhoni’s IPL 2026 practice session went viral on social media. MS Dhoni looked active, fit and fully involved in training, which surprised many fans as things were not easy for him in the last season.
He came to bat only after the sixth or seventh wicket fell, which left him very little time to do anything and he could not even score 200 runs for the five-time champion team. MS Dhoni’s poor form in the lower order had a big impact on Chennai Super Kings.
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The team struggled throughout the season and finished at the bottom of the points table, which was the worst season in CSK’s history. Because of this, many people started wondering whether Dhoni will play more in IPL 2026 or whether the previous season was his last season.
Looks like he was inspired by watching Imran Tahir – Ravichandran Ashwin hints at major changes in MS Dhoni’s batting role for IPL 2026
However, Ashwin believes that Dhoni looks all set for IPL 2026. The way Dhoni is training, the former CSK all-rounder feels that he is not preparing to bat at the end of the innings. He also hinted that seeing senior players like Imran Tahir still performing might have given new inspiration to Dhoni.
Ravichandran Ashwin said on his YouTube channel, “Dhoni looks ready to play, because he has already started practicing. He looks fit. Some people said that he will not be able to play in the 11, or it could be his last season. But it seems that he has been inspired by seeing Imran Tahir. Looking at him, it does not look like he will bat at No. 9. It looks like he will come to bat at No. 3 in the power play and apply. Will do, the way he has started practicing.”
He also described CSK’s new batting line-up as one of the strongest in the IPL, which includes Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sanju Samson, Ayush Mhatre, Dewald Brevis, Shivam Dubey, Karthik Sharma and Prashant Veer. He praised the team management for smart scouting and bold decisions.
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CSK’s new power-packed batting line-up could trouble the bowlers throughout the season
Ashwin feels that this group has the power to dominate any bowling attack. He further added, “They have scouted very well and boast of a powerhouse of a batting lineup. You ask, how will teams stop this batting lineup? Even 200 for 200 makes it really difficult for teams to stop CSK.”
The former Indian all-rounder also mentioned that Jamie Overton is in “great form” and is adding more strength to the team, and backed Ayush Mhatre to shine for CSK in IPL 2026, no matter how their ICC Under-19 World Cup goes.
Ashwin believes that if CSK gets their balance right and find momentum early, their batting can trouble the bowlers throughout the tournament. And if Dhoni really starts batting higher up the order, IPL 2026 could turn out to be a very special season for CSK fans.
He signed off by saying, “It only remains to be seen what combination CSK decides to go with. CSK’s batting is tough to stop. If they get the combination and pace right, this is a batting lineup that will really make it very difficult for the bowlers to work with throughout the tournament.”
