MS Dhoni, who will turn 44 in July, remains uncertain about whether IPL 2025 will be his final season in cricket. The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain acknowledged the physical toll that the game has taken on his body but revealed he hasn’t made a decision yet regarding his future in the league.
“I only play two months in a year and now after this IPL gets over, I have to work hard for another six to eight months just to see if my body will be able to take this kind of pressure and everything,” Dhoni said after CSK’s thrilling win over Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). “So nothing for me to decide as of now, but I feel the love and affection wherever I’ve been.”
Dhoni, who has been playing at a reduced capacity due to knee issues, was a key figure in CSK’s victory on Wednesday. After the dismissal of Dewald Brevis, Dhoni walked out to bat in the 13th over, playing an anchor role alongside Shivam Dube before striking a crucial six off Andre Russell in the final over to secure the win for CSK.
Emergence of Youngsters: Dhoni’s Focus on IPL 2026
Despite the loss of playoff hopes for CSK this season, Dhoni is optimistic about the future of the team, especially the development of younger players like Urvil Patel. Urvil, who made his IPL debut against KKR, made an immediate impact by blasting 31 off just 11 balls, including four sixes. Dhoni was quick to praise the youngsters, noting that real match situations are the best way to assess a player’s temperament and skills.
“The thing is these are the players who are part of us right now… so we have got an opportunity to test them,” Dhoni explained You may see them in the nets, you may see them in the practice game, but nothing like a real match, you know, so we are out of the tournament. We had three games [remaining], so you give them a chance and see how they react.”
While the focus is not entirely on technical aspects, Dhoni emphasized the importance of mental toughness and game awareness. He stressed that it’s not always about being the most technically sound batsman, but rather someone who understands the game, reads the bowler’s plans, and adapts accordingly.
“We want to see the approach and the mental toughness because that’s what really counts,” Dhoni said. “It’s not the most technically sound batsman who scores a lot of runs, but somebody who’s more game aware. You know who understands what the bowler is looking to do, if he sets up a field, okay according to this field you know what he will bowl. What is a bluff ball?”
With CSK out of the playoff race, Dhoni is using the remaining matches as an opportunity to test young talent, setting the foundation for IPL 2026.
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