This will be MS Dhoni's 19th IPL season.
Dhoni has been a consistent presence in the IPL since its beginning, becoming identified with CSK and its famous yellow shirt. He is currently set to play his 19th season. Dhoni has played in 278 IPL games and scored 5,439 runs. He captained CSK to five titles before stepping down before the 2024 season.
Irfan stated that it is difficult to imagine CSK or the IPL without Dhoni, emphasizing his importance in unifying the franchise. The former CSK player believes that Dhoni would play an important role in developing Sanju Samson and Gaikwad as the team's future leaders.
“CSK is incomplete without MS Dhoni. This season might be the last time we see him in the yellow jersey, and it is 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 (Dhoni) will play. But his presence in the dressing room will help a lot. Sanju will benefit because he will be part of the leadership group as well,” Pathan said on JioHotStar.
MS Dhoni has begun preparation for the IPL 2026 by joining the CSK camp early this month. Dhoni is expected to play an important role and might even keep wickets as well, despite the presence of Sanju Samson in the side.