MS Dhoni’s IPL future remains uncertain, with the legendary wicketkeeper-batter now 45 and having missed the entire 2026 season due to a knee injury.
Speculation over his retirement has been around for several years, but it intensified this year after he was forced to sit out the tournament. While the Impact Player rule could have given Dhoni a way to extend his IPL career, former Chennai Super Kings batter Subramaniam Badrinath has revealed that the veteran does not want to take that route. According to Badrinath, Dhoni has told him that he will not play as an Impact Player, adding another twist to the ongoing uncertainty over whether he will return for IPL 2027.
While Dhoni may have ruled out the Impact Player option, Badrinath believes the format could actually suit the veteran wicketkeeper-batter at this stage of his career. He explained that Dhoni’s limited involvement in the game makes him an ideal candidate for the role, while also pointing to the physical demands of keeping for 20 overs and batting late in the innings.
“He has personally told me that he won’t play as an Impact Player. He sees himself as a full-time keeper, and that means he has to be on the field for the full 20 overs. So he won’t play as an Impact Player, but I feel if he does, it’ll tactically benefit CSK. His body cannot withstand long durations, which even Fleming has said. He is only going to bat after the 16th over and keep wickets. When his participation is so less, he would be ideal as an Impact Player,” Badrinath said on his YouTube channel.
Dhoni has scored 5,439 runs in 278 IPL matches, including 24 fifties, at a strike rate of 137.45. He has also led CSK to joint-most five IPL titles.
Badrinath defends Impact Player Rule
Badrinath also defended the Impact Player rule from criticism over CSK’s handling of their all-rounders, particularly Shivam Dube. He argued that Dube’s limited bowling opportunities for the franchise had nothing to do with the rule, but rather with how the team management chose to use him during matches.
“Shivam Dube bowling for India but not for CSK is not because of the Impact Player rule. It has to do with the CSK management and their lack of usage of Dube with the ball. Why are they using him as an Impact Player? The rule cannot be blamed,” said Badrinath.