New Delhi: Chennai Super Kings (CSK) legend MS Dhoni has begun his preparations for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. The new season of the IPL is likely to get underway in the final week of March, and Dhoni hit the nets at the JSCA Stadium in Ranchi on Saturday to start training for the tournament.
JSCA’s official Instagram handle shared a video of Dhoni padding up before hitting the nets. In the clip, Dhoni can be seen having a chat with his former Jharkhand teammate Saurabh Tiwary, who is currently the honorary secretary of the JSCA, as he geared up for a batting session in the nets. Tiwary was also seen spending time in the nets at the JSCA Stadium.
The clip of Dhoni donning the yellow pads to begin preparations for IPL 2026 sparked a frenzy among cricket fans on social media. There was a lot of speculation surrounding the legendary wicket-keeper batter’s future after CSK failed to make it to the playoffs in IPL 2025 last year. However, Dhoni’s return to practice has signalled he is ready to don the iconic yellow jersey for CSK for another season.
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Dhoni, who retired from international cricket in August 2020, continues to represent Chennai Super Kings in the IPL, the only tournament he plays throughout the year. Despite having turned 44, he remains a vital cog in CSK’s line-up and continues to be a guiding force in the squad.
Dhoni, who is one of IPL’s most successful captains with five titles under his belt, took over the franchise’s captaincy midway through last season after an injury to regular skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad. Though CSK failed to qualify for the playoffs, Dhoni helped in identifying the gaps in the squad, which the franchise managed to fill through injury replacements and new signings at the IPL 2026 auction last year.
Will MS Dhoni play all matches for CSK in IPL 2026?
Many feel Dhoni might not play all matches for CSK after the franchise roped in India wicket-keeper batter Sanju Samson in a trade deal from Rajasthan Royals ahead of the IPL 2026 auction last year. Samson headed to CSK in exchange for Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran and is expected to open the batting for the five-time champions.
He is also viewed as a future leader, and Dhoni might be rested in a few matches for Samson to keep wicket for CSK in IPL 2026. At 44, Dhoni’s reflexes might have slowed down, but he remains an effective wicket-keeper and a lethal finisher. It remains to be seen if the CSK legend plans to feature in all games for the franchsie or handpick matches,owing to his fitness struggles and Samson’s presence.