Chennai Super Kings veteran and former India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni isn’t ready to call time on his IPL playing career just yet. Speaking at a healthcare event in Bengaluru on Saturday, Dhoni said he aspires to play for CSK next season, while maintaining his participation will ultimately depend on his fitness.
“You will know before December,” Dhoni said. “Doc, I will have to go through the test. You will have to give me the report, and then before December, I will have to see, you know, how strong I am to maybe play one more season.”
Dhoni, who will turn 46 next year, sat out the entire IPL 2026 season due to recurring injuries. CSK, a five-time IPL champion, has failed to qualify for the Playoffs since Dhoni stepped down from captaincy in 2024. In the three years since, CSK, under Ruturaj Gaikwad, has finished fifth, tenth, and eighth in the points table.
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“And if I am not (fit enough), then, you know, you will have to make sure that you do everything right with me and make sure that this old vintage vehicle is running well on the road. So all the pressure is on them,” Dhoni added, with a hint of light-heartedness, as he often does while responding to questions about his future.
The team management has previously stated the decision on Dhoni’s future rests entirely with the wicket-keeper batter.
With CSK going for an overhaul ahead of next season, parting ways with long-time coach Stephen Fleming and bringing in Zaheer Khan as his successor, it remains to be seen what kind of role Dhoni will play next season. Whether it will be on the pitch or off it remains anybody’s guess for now.
Published on Oct 25, 2026
