Will MS Dhoni Play in IPL 2026? Big Statement from Australian Legend Sparks Buzz
Chennai Super Kings had a disappointing run in IPL 2025. The team could manage to win only four games in the league stage and finished at the bottom of the points table for the first time in their history.
Along with the team’s struggles, MS Dhoni also couldn’t make much of an impact. He scored just 196 runs in 13 innings. After Ruturaj Gaikwad got injured, Dhoni took over the captaincy again, but even his leadership couldn’t change CSK’s fortunes. Throughout the season, fans kept speculating whether this would be Dhoni’s last IPL, but he didn’t give any clear statement on his future.
Recently, former Australian captain Michael Clarke shared his thoughts on Dhoni’s future and said that he believes Dhoni might return for IPL 2026. Clarke called Dhoni the “King” of Chennai and said his presence in the squad is very important. He added, “Whenever Chennai plays, most of the crowd comes just to see Dhoni. Sponsors, fans—everyone wants to watch him on the field. He has a massive influence, and whenever he retires, it’ll be a huge loss for the franchise.”
Clarke also talked about Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s performances this season. Kohli was outstanding, scoring 657 runs and leading Royal Challengers Bengaluru to their first-ever IPL title. Meanwhile, Rohit Sharma scored 418 runs in 15 matches and helped Mumbai Indians reach the playoffs.
Despite CSK’s overall poor performance, there were some positives. Young talents like Ayush Mhatre, Dewald Brevis, and Anshul Kamboj impressed with their performances in the latter half of the tournament. CSK’s 83-run win over Gujarat Titans in their final game gave fans a reason to smile.
After the season ended, Dhoni said he would need 4-5 months to decide about his future. He didn’t confirm whether he would return next year or not, but made it clear that he wouldn’t rush into any decision.
Now, fans eagerly wait to see if their beloved Thala will don the yellow jersey once again in 2026. Michael Clarke’s prediction has only added more hope and excitement among Dhoni fans across the world.