Yellove beyond retirement: MS Dhoni commits to CSK for the next 15-20 years
The concept of 'forever' is a non-existent virtue in sports. Yes, the legacy, the memories, and the records stay. But every player hits the twilight before his career concludes and only his story remains on the ground instead of him. No one has managed to stay, and certainly, there would come a time when the CSK fans would be asked to bid goodbye to their beloved Thala, MS Dhoni. Every year, before the IPL launches into action, speculations kick off predicting whether the edition would be Dhoni's last in the IPL. Now, although which IPL edition marks the MS Dhoni retirement remains undisclosed, the former Indian captain has promised his commitment to Chennai Super Kings.
"It's not about one or two year...": MS Dhoni reiterates his commitment to CSK
In a recent interaction, former CSK captain MS Dhoni reiterated the strength of his bond with the franchise. The then T20 World Cup-winning Indian captain was snapped up by CSK in the inaugural IPL auction. Dhoni has played in the yellows ever since, except for IPL 2016 and 2017 when the Super Kings served their two-year-long suspension from the tournament. After spending two seasons with the now-defunct Rising Pune Supergiant, Dhoni returned as the CSK captain in 2018.
After leading the Super Kings to their fifth title victory, the joint-most in IPL history, MS Dhoni relinquished his captaincy spot ahead of IPL 2024. Ruturaj Gaikwad stepped up as the next leader of CSK, as Dhoni limited his role to that of a wicketkeeper and a finisher in the team. While Dhoni returned in the 2024 season, the former Indian captain battled a knee injury that cast a shadow on his availability for the next seasons. However, dashing IPL retirement rumors, Dhoni returned in IPL 2025, where he reclaimed the captaincy role midway through the season after Gaikwad was ruled out due to a fractured elbow.
Taking the reins in a tough season, Dhoni guided the five-time titleholders through a rocky campaign that ended with CSK at the bottom of the standings, securing just four victories in 14 matches. Now, the same MS Dhoni retirement speculations have been swirling again ahead of the next season. While Dhoni didn't provide a concrete update on his retirement plans, the 44-year-old pledged his commitment to the five-time winners. Even if not in the capacity of a player, Dhoni talked about being in the 'yellows' at least for the next 15-20 years.
“Me and CSK, we are together. You know even for the next 15–20 years. I hope they don't think I'll be playing for another 15-20 years! But yeah,” Dhoni said. “It's not about one year or two years. I will always be sitting in a yellow jersey. You know whether I’ll be playing or not in a while, but yeah, you know yourself,” he added.
Time and again, Dhoni has iterated that the decision to play IPL season after season depends on his fitness. If his body recovers in time and the former skipper feels ready to play for the allotted window, he joins for another season. Concluding IPL 2025, Dhoni explained the same, keeping the mystery with a cheeky, "I'm not saying I'm done, I'm not saying I'm coming back." In his latest interaction, Dhoni once again kept his decision under wraps.
"I just got a tick mark that I can play cricket for the next five years. But the catch is that I have been given clearance only for eyesight. I need clearance for my body as well. I cannot play cricket just with my eyes alone," he joked.
