With MS Dhoni taking the lap of honour following Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) defeat against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on May 18 (Monday), it seemed like we may have seen the last of the legend in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Dhoni led CSK to five IPL titles and is one of the most successful captains in the tournament’s history. He has been associated with the franchise right from the first season, in which he was the most expensive player.
Former CSK batter Suresh Raina reveals he had a conversation with Dhoni about playing the next season. Dhoni’s reply does not look promising.
What did Raina say?
“I told him, ‘You have given IPL 2026 a missed call. It won’t count. You have to come back next year,” Raina said on Star Sports.
“He said ‘my body is a little weak’ – I said ‘we are not believing anything. You have to play next year’. It’s his personal call. I think he is positive. The team is also gelling well again.”
Dhoni has not played a single match in IPL 2026 as he continues to recover from a calf injury. Dhoni last featured for the franchise last season and even took over as captain in the middle of the season after Ruturaj Gaikwad was ruled out due to an injury. CSK finished rock-bottom, registering just four wins.
Overall, Dhoni has scored 5,439 runs in 278 matches with a strike rate of 137.45. CSK will hope to beat Gujarat Titans (GT) in their final round-robin match, which could give them a chance of progressing to the playoffs. They are currently sixth on the points table with six wins from 13 matches.
For more news & updates, follow The Crichub on X and YouTube
