MS Dhoni has once again dropped a massive hint about his future with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and his potential availability for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season.
MS Dhoni turned 44 last month. It’s been now five years since he called time on his international career. However, the legendary wicketkeeper-batter continues to play in IPL for Chennai Super Kings, a franchise that won all of their five trophies under the maverick cricketer’s captaincy.
In 2024, he stepped down from CSK captaincy and passed the baton to Ruturaj Gaikwad. They missed out on a playoffs spot by a whisker, but the last season was a forgettable affair as they endured a historic low – for the first time, CSK finished bottom of the standings.
“I have always said that there is a lot of time for me to decide, but if you are asking about coming back in a yellow jersey I will always be in a yellow jersey, whether I am playing or not, is a different matter.”
“Me and CSK, we are together,” Dhoni said during an event recently. “You know, even for the next 15-20 years (crowd cheers). I hope they don’t think I’ll be playing for another 15-20 years.”
His playing days could be numbered but Dhoni has cleared that he will continue to be in CSK’s camp.
“It’s not about one year or two years. I will always be sitting in a yellow jersey. You know whether I’ll be playing or not in a while, but yeah, you know yourself,” Dhoni said.
Dhoni noted CSK’s role in shaping his career and helping him grow as a person.
“I feel the relationship over the years has grown. It helped me improve as a person. It helped me improve as a cricketer. CSK just happened. I think it’s good for Chennai. So, today it’s good for me also,” he said.
Earlier this year, Dhoni had remarked that playing in the IPL is the next best thing to representing the Indian team. “It’s a very good feeling, and I’ve always said it’s a big thank-you from the fans. That’s what I believe—for whatever years I keep playing, it’s their way of saying, ‘Thank you very much for everything you’ve done.’ And it’s amazing.
“Especially when you play a sport, what you want is the appreciation of the fans.
And when it comes to cricket, India is the place to play,” Dhoni said in an interview with Star Sports.
“Being part of the Indian cricket team is one of the biggest things. I’m not playing international cricket anymore, so IPL is the next best thing.
“I don’t get goosebumps, but it’s a special kind of feeling—every time you walk in, everyone’s excited. They’re waiting for you. They want you to do well.
“Even when you’re playing against the team they support, they still want you to perform, contribute—whatever it may be. So yeah, it’s an amazing feeling,” he added.
It was a forgettable season for CSK in IPL 2025 as they finished last in the points table. Dhoni opened up about the season and said that they need to learn from their mistakes.
“Yes, the last couple of years have not been good for us. We have not been up to the mark. But what is important is for you to see the learnings. Yes, you had a bad season. But what went wrong? And that was the question for us last year also,” Dhoni concluded.
