New Delhi: There is a lot of uncertainty surrounding future in the IPL next season, but the wicketkeeper-batter has told former player Subramaniam Badrinath that he does not intend to continue as an Impact Player, raising further questions over his participation in the 2027 edition.
The Impact Player rule could have provided the former captain a way to extend his IPL career further by reducing his workload. But Dhoni has made it clear that if he continues playing, he wants to remain a full-time wicketkeeper. However, Badrinath feels that the Impact Player rule could have helped Dhoni at this stage of his career.
“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,” Badrinath said on his YouTube channel.
‘Dhoni would be ideal as an Impact Player’
Badrinath further added that Dhoni’s body may not be able to withstand long durations on the field, and that he is likely to bat for limited overs. He believes that Dhoni would be ideal as an impact player due to his limited participation.
“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,” he added.
The 45-year-old wicketkeeper-batter has faced several injury concerns in recent IPL seasons, and his future is also unclear. Badrinath believes that the Impact Player rule could help ease Dhoni’s workload while allowing CSK to continue benefiting from his experience and finishing ability.
However, Dhoni wants to continue as a wicketkeeper-batter, which means that the Chennai-based franchise has to wait for a decision on whether their long-time captain will return for another season. CSK have finished eighth in the IPL 2026 points table and missed the playoffs for the third consecutive season.