Michael Clarke Predicts Dhoni's Continued IPL Journey Amid Retirement Rumors

Chennai Super Kings' performance in IPL 2025 did not live up to expectations. The team won only four matches in the league stage and finished at the bottom of the points table. For the first time this season, Chennai finished last.

Along with the team, captain MS Dhoni's performance was also not special. He scored a total of 196 runs in 13 innings. Dhoni took over the captaincy after Ruturaj Gaikwad's injury, but could not change the fate of the team. There was speculation about his retirement throughout the season, but he did not make any clear statement on it.

Recently, former Australia captain Michael Clarke said that Dhoni could play in the next IPL. He described Dhoni as the "King" of Chennai and said that his presence is very important for the team. Clarke said, "When Chennai plays, the maximum number of fans come to the stadium for Dhoni. Sponsors and fans, everyone wants to see him play. His influence is huge, and when he retires, it will be a big loss for the team. ”

Clarke also spoke about Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Kohli scored 657 runs this season and led Royal Challengers Bangalore to the IPL title for the first time. At the same time, Rohit Sharma scored 418 runs in 15 matches and played a key role in taking Mumbai Indians to the playoffs.

The end of the season was somewhat positive for CSK. Young players like Ayush Mhatre, Dewald Brevis and Anshul Kamboj performed well in the last matches. The 83-run win against Gujarat Titans gave the team some relief. 

Dhoni said after the post-season campaign that he needs 4-5 months to decide on his future. They didn't say whether they would play next season or not, but indicated they didn't want to make any hasty decisions.

Now it has to be seen whether Dhoni will be seen in the yellow jersey next year or not. Fans are hoping for his return, and Clarke's prediction has increased this expectation.