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Five-time Indian Premier League champions Chennai Super Kings are expecting MS Dhoni will play one more season for the franchise, according to latest reports.
The Super Kings have just endured one of their worst ever seasons, finishing bottom of the table with four measly wins from 14 matches.
Dhoni took over the captaincy halfway through the campaign from the injured Ruturaj Gaikwad, but he was unable to turn the team’s fortunes around.
The 44-year-old is not about to end his legendary career on a historic low, with the wicket-keeper expected to feature in 2026.
Another major factor responsible for keeping Dhoni on the field is the return of influential chairman N Srinivasan.
The former BCCI and ICC president has returned to the Super Kings, looking to help the franchise turn a corner after a woeful 2025 campaign.
MS DHONI SET TO PLAY IPL 2026.
– Thala Dhoni in CSK for one more season. (Revsportz). pic.twitter.com/TfFfa7xlH4
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) September 4, 2025
Can MS Dhoni still compete at the highest level?
There was a stark difference in performance from Dhoni between the 2024 and 2025 IPL campaigns.
Last season, the wicket-keeper posted reasonable numbers, including a strike rate of 135.17. However, that was still a significant dip from his 220.55 strike rate during the 2024 campaign, and 182.46 the year before.
What’s more, Dhoni’s leadership endured heavy criticism in 2025. The inconsistent top and middle order exposed the aging captain to questions over fitness.
Despite those worries, Srinivasan appears to have Dhoni’s back, telling the media the 44-year-old can play for “as long as he wants to.”
Dhoni himself revealed he will play for as long as he can, hilariously telling the media: “I can play for as long as I want for CSK. That’s my franchise. Even if I’m in a wheelchair, they will drag me.”
The multi-time IPL winner made those comments ahead of the 2025 season, and a lot has changed since then.
With many more months remaining until the start of the 2026 campaign, the final decision from Dhoni about his continued playing career is expected later down the line.
Read next: Amit Mishra retires – where did he finish among top 11 IPL wicket-takers?
The post The big decision facing MS Dhoni ahead of the IPL 2026 season appeared first on Cricket365.
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