MS Dhoni opened up on his IPL 2026 plans |courtesy - BCCI/IPL
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
- MS Dhoni opened up on his IPL 2026 plans
- Dhoni is IPL's third-oldest player in history
- Dhoni has played all 18 seasons
MS Dhoni finally broke his silence over retirement rumours with the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) heading towards its end after guiding Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to their third win of the season with a win over Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
Dhoni remained not out while making 17 runs in 18 balls as CSK chased down a total 180 in a thrilling last-over finish. The 43-year-old opened up about his plans for the future after the Men in Yellow's nightmare season, where they are headed for a last-place finish in the table for the first time in history.
During the post-match presentation, Dhoni was asked about his relationship with the Kolkata crowd, having played a lot of cricket in his junior days at the stadium, having played for the East Zone. Speaking about the crowd's love towards him, the ex-Indian captain admitted that fans come in big numbers to see him as they are not sure when he will call it quits. However, Dhoni hinted that he could play the 2026 season.
"That's the love and affection I have got throughout, not to forget, I'm 43 and I have played for a long time. They don't know when it will be my last year, it is a fact I play only 2 months a year. Once this IPL gets over, then I have to work to see if my body is able to take this kind of pressure. Nothing to decide as of now (on retirement), but the love and affection I get everywhere is excellent," said Dhoni.
Dhoni has faced criticism in the 2025 IPL, where he took charge of CSK once again due to Ruturaj Gaikwad's injury. The five-time IPL-winning captain's batting position has come in focus while he has largely struggled to make an impact with the bat. However, he has remained not-out in each of CSK's three wins this season and played an important part in the wins vs Lucknow Super Giants and KKR.
CSK have two matches left in the 2025 season with matches against Rajasthan Royals (RR) on May 12 in Chennai before they travel to Ahmedabad to face Gujarat Titans (GT) on May 18.
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