For the last three-four seasons, the biggest question that IPL brings is, ‘will MS Dhoni retire after the tournament’? A few times the man answered himself, while on the others, the team management responded on his behalf. Once again that question looms large, as IPL 2026 will be played for March 28 to May 31.
Irfan Pathan raises questions on MS Dhoni’s IPL future
Speaking on the issue, former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan said, that it is nearly impossible to replace him. Adding to this he said, that Dhoni’s influence goes beyond the field as well. “CSK is incomplete without MS Dhoni. This season might be the last time we see him in the yellow jersey, and it’s tough to imagine CSK and the IPL without him,” Irfan said on JioHotsar.
“This season, Dhoni will play an important role in bringing everyone together. I’m not sure how many games he will play. But his presence in the dressing room will help a lot. Ruturaj Gaikwad is the leader. But as a group, two or three guys are being groomed for the future. That is where MS Dhoni comes in. I hope he makes a difference,” he added.
Workload management would also be the key for the 44-year-old, said Pathan. “Questions about his fitness, batting position, and whether he will play all games will still come up. The CSK team management will take it step by step. They will definitely look to give him a perfect farewell by lifting their sixth IPL trophy,” he added.
Full CSK squad
CSK squad for IPL 2026: Ruturaj Gaikwad (C), MS Dhoni, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Dewald Brevis, Ayush Mhatre, Kartik Sharma, Sarfaraz Khan, Urvil Patel, Anshul Kamboj, Khaleel Ahmed, Noor Ahmad, Jamie Overton, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Prashant Veer, Matthew Short, Aman Khan, Zak Foulkes, Mukesh Choudhary, Nathan Ellis, Shreyas Gopal, Gurjapneet Singh, Akeal Hosein, Matt Henry, Rahul Chahar.
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