NEW DELHI: Where will MS Dhoni feature in the Chennai Super Kings playing XI? Will he come in as an Impact Player? Will he bat in his usual No. 7 or No. 8 position? How many matches will he play this season? And is IPL 2026 going to be his last? These questions are doing the rounds at the moment.CSK, five-time IPL champions, will begin their IPL 2026 campaign against Rajasthan Royals at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium on March 30.At 44, with recurring knee issues and wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson in the mix, are these signs that it might be time for Dhoni to call it a day?In fact, Dhoni himself admitted during a CSK event that his fitness is not what it used to be, saying ‘it is on the way down’.
Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra believes the time has come for the veteran to retire.“You do not run the team from the dugout, it’s not football. In cricket, you need to be on the field, and MS Dhoni’s biggest asset is his ability to read the game better than anybody else. That clarity and conviction are what make him who he is. In any case, I feel this could be his last season. He has the heir apparent now. Sanju Samson will eventually don the gloves, it could even happen at some stage during this season. Again, conditions apply in terms of MS Dhoni’s fitness and his knee. But he cannot be the Impact Player. If he is playing as an Impact Player, I think it’s time for him to hang up his boots,” Chopra said while speaking on JioStar’s ‘IPL Today Live’.Dhoni has been the cornerstone of CSK, leading the team to five IPL titles. He has played 278 matches, scoring 5439 runs at an average of 38.30 and a strike rate of 137.45, including 24 fifties.Known for the ‘Daddy’s Army’ tag in the past, CSK have begun transitioning towards a younger squad. Last season, players like Dewald Brevis, Ayush Mhatre and Urvil Patel were part of the setup. This year, the franchise has added Nathan Ellis, Sarfaraz Khan, Kartik Sharma and Prashant Veer.“There is a small analogy. If you want your baby to start walking, you need to hold their hand and teach them. But if you want them to run, you need to let go. If you keep holding on, they will never learn to run. From Dhoni’s point of view, if somebody has been anointed as the next Captain, then he has to take a backseat, and I think he already has,” Chopra said.
Poll
Which aspect of MS Dhoni’s mentorship matters most for young players?
“If you look at the auction and the way the team has been built, it is not the team MS Dhoni would have built if it were left entirely to him. Would he go with these many youngsters in one go? This is Ruturaj Gaikwad’s team. MS Dhoni will observe things and not say much. He might offer advice here and there, but that’s where it stops. He did that well with Virat Kohli at the international level as well, allowing them to grow and prosper. And if they seek help, he is always there,” he signed off.Chennai Super Kings full squad for IPL 2026: Anshul Kamboj, Gurjapneet Singh, Jamie Overton, MS Dhoni, Mukesh Choudhary, Nathan Ellis, Noor Ahmad, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Sanju Samson, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shivam Dube, Shreyas Gopal, Syed Khaleel Ahmed, Ayush Mhatre, Dewald Brevis, Urvil Patel, Sarfaraz Khan (Rs 75 lakh), Kartik Sharma (Rs 14.20 Cr), Prashant Veer (Rs 14.20 Cr), Matthew Short (Rs 1.50 Cr), Aman Khan (Rs 40 lakh), Zak Foulkes (Rs 75 lakh), Akeal Hosein (Rs 2 Cr), Rahul Chahar (INR 5.2 Cr), Matt Henry (Rs 2 Cr).
