Has MS Dhoni retired from the IPL?

MS Dhoni has not played a single game in the IPL this season

Despite getting a shaky start to their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 campaign, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have managed to stay in the race for the top four. The five-time champions suffered three consecutive losses in the opening games, but after that made a strong comeback.

In their last five matches, the CSK have won four, as they are currently fifth in the league table with 12 points after 11 matches. If they secure a victory against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in Match 59 of the 2026 IPL, they will leapfrog last year’s runners-up, the Punjab Kings (PBKS), to jump into the top four.

Due to consecutive losses in the initial games, Ruturaj Gaikwad’s captaincy was being questioned by the fans and critics. However, the 29-year-old later proved that he could be a reliable captain in the limited-overs format.

Meanwhile, Sanju Samson, who played a crucial role in India’s triumph at the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup, has scored 430 runs in 11 innings this season, with an average of 53 and a strike rate of 169.

Despite the improved performance of the five-time champions, fans have been keen to watch MS Dhoni play at least once this season.

Has MS Dhoni announced retirement from the Indian Premier League?

Former Indian team and CSK captain MS Dhoni has missed all 11 games for the five-time champions this season. The 44-year-old missed the initial few games due to a calf issue.

Dhoni has also not travelled with the squad ahead of the fixture against LSG. Reports also claimed that Dhoni has recovered from the injury but does not want to be part of the team for now so that the winning combination does not get changed

There have been speculations as well that he might not feature in any games because he’s considering retiring from the T20 league. The wicketkeeper-batter has not made an official announcement yet; however, he could potentially retire from the tournament soon, considering his age, injuries and also the fact that he is not travelling with the team.

Considered one of the greatest captains in the sport’s history, Dhoni has proved his worth in every format. With the national team, he won the T20 World Cup, the ICC Champions Trophy and the ODI World Cup.

Talking about his performance in the IPL, he has scored 5439 runs in 242 innings, winning five titles with CSK before stepping down as the captain.

For more updates, follow Khel Now Cricket on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram.