MS Dhoni's IPL 2026 availability revealed. Check details
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) legend MS Dhoni has officially announced that he will not captain the team in the 2026 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Instead, he will continue with the franchise as a specialist wicketkeeper-batter. The captaincy will return to Ruturaj Gaikwad, who was originally appointed skipper for the 2025 season but had to step aside due to an unfortunate elbow fracture early in the tournament. Dhoni took over the reins mid-season, leading the side during a turbulent campaign. Reflecting on the challenges of the 2025 season, Dhoni admitted that Gaikwad’s injury dealt a significant blow to the team’s momentum.
CSK struggled to find consistency in his absence, ultimately missing out on the playoffs. Dhoni emphasized that while leadership changes are part of the game, the focus moving forward would be on solidifying the squad’s batting depth and overall balance. Ahead of the 2026 campaign, the CSK management appears to have already taken steps to bolster the batting lineup during the off-season. With Gaikwad expected to return to full fitness and Dhoni continuing to provide his trademark composure behind the stumps, CSK fans can look forward to a more settled and strategically stronger side next year.
“We are slightly worried about our batting order. But I think our batting order is quite sorted out now. Rutu (Gaikwad) will be coming back [as captain]. He got injured. But he will be coming back. So, we are quite sorted now. I won't say we (CSK) slacked off (in IPL 2025). But there were certain holes that we needed to plug in. A small auction is coming in December. Some loopholes are there, and we will try to plug those in,” said CSK skipper MS Dhoni.
Ruturaj Gaikwad’s most recent competitive outing was in Chennai Super Kings’ clash against Punjab Kings at Mullanpur during the IPL 2025 season. Following that match, Gaikwad had signed a contract to play for English county side Yorkshire but later opted out, citing personal reasons. Now, the talented opener is gearing up for a much-anticipated return to action, having been named in the West Zone squad for the upcoming Duleep Trophy, which is scheduled to begin later this month.
On the other hand, CSK veteran MS Dhoni, now 44, addressed the team’s underwhelming performance in recent IPL seasons. While the franchise boasts five championships, their form over the last two editions has not lived up to expectations. Dhoni acknowledged that the team had fallen short of their usual high standards and stressed the importance of identifying and correcting the squad’s weaknesses.
With the 2026 IPL season on the horizon, Dhoni emphasized the need for a well-rounded strategy and stronger execution on the field. He noted that the management and support staff are already working on rebuilding and strengthening key areas, particularly the batting unit, in a bid to reclaim their dominance and secure a record-setting sixth IPL title for Chennai Super Kings.
“Yes, the last couple of years have not been good for us. We have not been up to the mark. But what is important is for you to see the learnings. Yes, you had a bad season. But what went wrong? And that was the question for us last year also. We were like, 'okay, there are some shortcomings'. But first we needed to exactly figure out what were the shortcomings and then look at solutions,” Dhoni revealed.
