Former India and stand-in Chennai Super Kings captain MS Dhoni has said that at 43, while he knows that he is in the final leg of his career, it is too early to decide if he will be back in IPL 2026 but the love and affection he has received has been brilliant, hinting at a possible comeback next year.
Dhoni said that he will decide on his Indian Premier League future after working hard for the next six to eight months and assessing whether his body can cope with the demands of the shortest format.
Dhoni, who is met with a sea of yellow in every stadium he goes to play in the Indian Premier League, acknowledged that he is in the final stretch of his career, and fans do not know which match could be his last.
“That is the love and affection I have gotten throughout. Not to forget, I am 42 (43). I have played for a long time. A lot of them don’t know when it is going to be my last time, so they want to come and see me play,” Dhoni said while speaking at the post-match presentation.
Dhoni, who underwent knee surgery two years back, has continued to battle fitness concerns. Chennai head coach Stephen Fleming admitted that the former cannot bat 10 overs running full-stick.
“There is no escaping the fact (that I am in the last phase of my career). After this IPL gets over, I have to work hard for another 6-8 months to see if my body can take this pressure,” Dhoni said.
“Nothing to decide now, but the love and affection I have seen is excellent,” the former India captain added.
The victory over the Kolkata Knight Riders was just Chennai’s third of a disappointing IPL 2025 marred by inconsistency. With play-off hopes dashed, Dhoni said that the focus is now on testing bench strength.
