MS Dhoni breaks silence on IPL future with Chennai Super Kings; Legend to announce retirement on…
Published - 11 Aug 2025, 10:44 AM | Updated - 11 Aug 2025, 12:37 PM
Legendary wicketkeeper-batter MS Dhoni has yet to confirm whether he will play for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season. During a recent event, when a fan urged him to participate next season, the 44-year-old jokingly asked who would look after his knee pain.
With the IPL 2026 season still months away, speculation continues over whether MS Dhoni will return for another season with Chennai Super Kings. The five-time IPL champions had a poor 2025 campaign, finishing at the bottom of the table for the first time. Dhoni retired from international cricket in 2020.
I Don’t Know Whether I’ll Play or Not - MS Dhoni
MS Dhoni joked about his knee issues when asked about playing another IPL season. The former India captain, who underwent knee surgery after the 2023 season, said that he still has time to decide on his participation in IPL 2026. Dhoni added that he would likely make a final call 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,” said Dhoni while interacting with the host.
Dhoni was retained by Chennai Super Kings for ₹4 crore in the ‘Uncapped Player’ category before the 2025 IPL auction. He passed the captaincy to Ruturaj Gaikwad in 2024 but resumed the role when Gaikwad was ruled out by injury last season.
Ghutne Mein Jo Dard Hota Hai, Uska Take Care Kaun Karega - MS Dhoni
During the event, a fan urged MS Dhoni to continue playing. The former CSK captain jokingly replied by asking who would take care of his knee pain. His witty response drew laughter from the audience.
“You have to play, sir,” the fan in the crowd shouted.
“Arre, ghutne me jo dard hota hai uska take care kaun karega (The pain I have in my knees, who will take care of that)?” Dhoni responded to that with smiles.
Fans shouting MS Dhoni to play IPL 2026.
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) August 11, 2025
MS - Arre mere jo ghutno mein dard hain uska care kon karega (who'll take care of my knee pain). 😂❤️pic.twitter.com/576UOWKY2P
Dhoni played through a knee injury during IPL 2023 and guided Chennai Super Kings to the title before undergoing surgery in Mumbai. He delayed the treatment until after the final to maximize his recovery time ahead of the 2024 season.
Dhoni and CSK Endured a Torrid IPL 2025 Season
Ruturaj Gaikwad was forced to withdraw midway through the IPL 2025 season due to an elbow fracture. MS Dhoni had to take over as captain. However, Chennai Super Kings had their worst-ever campaign, finishing at the bottom of the table for the first time in franchise history.
Dhoni struggled with the bat, scoring only 196 runs at a strike rate of 135.17. He faced criticism for batting at No. 8. The Super Kings managed to secure just four wins out of their 14 matches.
The Men in Yellow also had a dismal home record, securing only one victory out of seven games at Chepauk. According to the latest reports, Ravichandran Ashwin is planning to leave the franchise after a disappointing season in which he took just seven wickets in nine matches.
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