CSK legend MS Dhoni could play one more season of the IPL. At 44, meeting the physical demands of IPL is a challenge for Dhoni, and the five-time IPL-winning captain has also kept his cards closed about his potential return in IPL 2026, but according to a report in RevSportz, return as CSK chairman might persuade Dhoni to play one more season of the league as CSK looks to bounce back from a series of disappointing performances in the last few years.
MS Dhoni is battling a ,and how well his body holds up will decide his future in the IPL. Dhoni had also recently said that he will take a call on playing IPL by December. “I don’t know whether I’ll play or not. I have time to decide. I have some time until December, so I’ll take another couple of months, and then finally, I can make my decision.”
The Pros and Cons Of MS Dhoni’s Return
Dhoni is a crowd puller, and if he is playing, naturally, the buzz around the CSK would be massive. Secondly, CSK is still undergoing a transition phase, and Dhoni’s experience would be handy for the team and Ruturaj Gaikwad, who should return as captain for IPL 2026.
Dhoni’s critics, however, feel that the veteran is past his prime and is a mere liability on the team, which affects the team’s performance. Dhoni, in the last few seasons, has batted low down the order, not contributing much as a batter. To have Dhoni in the XI, CSK have to compromise on a good batsman, which sometimes hurts the team. Dhoni could also not play as an impact player because the team needs him on the field.
So far, CSK have been happy to prefer Dhoni’s experience over a proper wicketkeeper-batter, and they wouldn’t mind if he wants to play one more season for the sake of the team, but all will depend on how his knee is at the time when he makes up his mind to play or retire from the IPL.