MS Dhoni sparked speculation about IPL 2025 being his final season when he arrived in Chennai last month wearing a T-shirt with “One Last Time” written in Morse code. The cryptic message created a buzz on social media. However, before Chennai Super Kings’ season opener against Mumbai Indians on Sunday, Dhoni addressed the retirement rumours, asserting that neither he nor the franchise is ready to part ways.
In an interview with Jio Hotstar ahead of the ‘El Clasico’ match at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, Dhoni reaffirmed his commitment to CSK, playfully suggesting that he could continue playing indefinitely. He humorously remarked that even if he ended up in a wheelchair, the franchise would still want him to play another season.
“I can play for as long as I want for CSK. That’s my franchise. Even if I’m in a wheelchair, they’ll drag me,” Dhoni said.
Overcoming injury in 2023
Dhoni battled a knee injury during the 2023 IPL season, eventually undergoing surgery. After a period of recovery, he returned for the 17th edition of the IPL. That season, he stepped down from the captaincy and moved lower down the batting order. Despite this, he amassed 161 runs off 73 balls with an impressive strike rate of 220.
As the new season unfolds, Dhoni stands on the verge of making history. He needs just 19 runs to surpass Suresh Raina’s record of 4,687 runs and become CSK’s highest run-scorer in IPL history. Meanwhile, all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja is only eight wickets away from overtaking Dwayne Bravo’s record of 140 wickets to become CSK’s all-time leading wicket-taker.