Chennai Super Kings CEO Kasi Viswanathan confirmed MS Dhoni will play IPL 2026, ending retirement rumors. After a tough 2025 season, CSK now eyes the auction to build a strong squad, aiming for a sixth title with Dhoni’s experience leading the way.
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Kasi Viswanathan, has broken his silence over the future of former captain and stalwart, MS Dhoni, in the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League. Following IPL 2025, there has been uncertainty about whether the veteran wicketkeeper-batter will feature in the upcoming season of the tournament, as he did not confirm whether he will return to play or retire from franchise cricket.
In the last IPL season, MS Dhoni was retained as an uncapped player by the CSK, given that he retired from international cricket for more than five years after not having featured in international cricket for more than five years — a rule change that allowed him to be retained for just INR 4 crore.
Dhoni returned to captaincy in the latter stage of the IPL 2025 after Ruturaj Gaikwad was ruled out of the remaining season due to an elbow injury. However, the fortunes of the CSK did not change as the five-time champions failed to qualify for the playoffs after finishing at the bottom of the points table with four wins and 10 losses while accumulating just 8 points in 14 outings.
Will MS Dhoni Play IPL 2026?
As the retentions near the deadline, i.e, 15th November, the main question is whether MS Dhoni will be retained and decide to suit up for one more season in IPL 2026. Chennai Super Kings CEO cleared the air on the veteran wicketkeeper-batter’s future in the cash-rich T20 league.
Speaking to Cricbuzz, Kasi Vishwanathan confirmed that the former CSK captain will play the next season of the Indian Premier League.
“MS has told us that he will be available for the next season,” the CSK CEO said.
Scroll to load tweet…
This is the second confirmation by Kasi Vishwanathan on MS Dhoni’s future after he told a young fan that he will be playing IPL 2026. Chennai Super Kings’ CEO confirmation has officially put an end to the speculation surrounding MS Dhoni’s participation in IPL 2026.
Scroll to load tweet…
In the previous IPL season, MS Dhoni played the entire tournament despite knee discomfort, showcasing his commitment to leading CSK through a challenging campaign.
In IPL 2025, Dhoni scored 191 runs at an average of 24.50 and a strike rate of 135.17 in 14 matches. In his IPL career, the CSK legend is the sixth-leading run-getter with 5439 runs, including 24 fifties, at an average of 38.30 in 278 matches.
Will Chennai Super Kings Clinch Sixth IPL Title?
Chennai Super Kings have won five IPL titles in 2010, 2011, 2018, 2021, and 2023, making them the joint-most successful team alongside their rivals Mumbai Indians, in the history of the tournament. After failing to qualify for the playoffs in the last two seasons, CSK will be eager to make a comeback to claim its sixth title in the upcoming season.
With MS Dhoni confirmed to play and Ruturaj Gaikwad likely to lead Chennai Super Kings in the upcoming IPL season, the franchise will look to blend Dhoni’s experience with Gaikwad’s leadership to mount a serious challenge for their sixth IPL crown.
Ahead of the IPL Auction, the CSK management will look to retain their core players and strengthen their squad with strategic picks to ensure a balanced team capable of challenging for the title in IPL 2026.
The upcoming IPL season is likely to be MS Dhoni’s swansong, and the Chennai Super Kings will look to leave no stone unturned to end his illustrious career on a high. Having endured disappointing champions in the last two seasons, the CSK will be eager to remove the stains of recent failures and reclaim their dominance in the IPL with their sixth triumph.