Mahendra Singh Dhoni may play his final season for the Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League in 2026, according to former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan.
When the T20 league begins on March 28, 2026, Dhoni, 44, will compete in his 19th IPL season. In 278 games, the legend has amassed 5,439 runs and has effected more than 200 dismissals with the gloves.
”CSK is incomplete without M S Dhoni. This season might be the last time we see him in the yellow jersey and it’s tough to imagine CSK and the IPL without him. This season, Dhoni will play an important role in bringing everyone together. I’m not sure how many games he will play. But his presence in the dressing room will help a lot,” Pathan told JioHotstar.
”Questions about his fitness, batting position, and whether he will play all games will still come up. The CSK team management will take it step by step. They will definitely look to give him a perfect farewell by lifting their sixth IPL trophy.”
Sanju Samson, a recent addition to CSK, will gain from playing alongside the legendary Dhoni, according to Pathan, who was a member of India’s 2007 T20 World Cup winning squad under Dhoni’s captaincy.
After more than ten years with the Rajasthan Royals, Samson, the star of India’s T20 World Cup victory, joined CSK in a huge IPL deal valued at Rs 18 crore (Rs 180 million).
”Sanju will benefit because he will be part of the leadership group as well. Ruturaj Gaikwad is the leader. But as a group, two or three guys are being groomed for the future. That is where M S Dhoni comes in. I hope he makes a difference. Sanju Samson’s arrival at CSK will allow Captain Ruturaj Gaikwad to express himself a bit more. We have seen him grow as a leader,” Pathan said.
”It is not easy leading in the IPL while also taking forward the legacy of M S Dhoni. That is one of the toughest things to do in your career. But Dhoni’s support, along with the help Sanju Samson brings, will always benefit Ruturaj,” added Pathan.
”Looking at the squad and imagining the playing combination are two different things. CSK’s success mantra in the past was to bank on experienced players. Now, they have made a change in approach and are going for younger, less experienced players. They are building for the future too. There are still exciting players in the team like Dewald Brevis, Urvil Patel, Shivam Dube and Sarfaraz Khan. I want to see how they go about their business this season,” Pathan said.
Prior to IPL 2026, CSK’s seasoned all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja made the decision to return to his original team, the Rajasthan Royals, who traded Samson to CSK for the potent all-rounder pair of Jadeja and Sam Curran.
Pathan is eager to see how Prashant Veer, a young spin all-rounder from UP who was recruited for an incredible Rs 14.20 crore to replace Jadeja, performs in his maiden season with CSK.
”Jadeja became the player he is with time. When he played for Rajasthan Royals in the first two IPL seasons, Shane Warne gave him confidence and told him he was a future superstar. That gave him a lot of belief. With time, he reached the level he is at today. Then he joined CSK in 2012,” Pathan said.
”The same can happen with Prashant Veer. Playing for CSK at a young age gives you a lot of cushion. If you are in the starting XI from the beginning of the season, you will play most games. That is a big plus. Not all franchises do that. They work differently. But CSK keeps it simple for young players.”
”With MS Dhoni and the experienced guys around, and Stephen Fleming as coach, they make things easy on and off the field. When you have that kind of simplicity in a high-pressure environment like the IPL, it helps a lot. So, for Kartik Sharma and Prashant Veer, it is an exciting and learning time at CSK.”
