MS Dhoni missed an entire IPL season for the first time in 19 years.
MS Dhoni has been associated with Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League (IPL) since the inaugural edition in 2008. And this was the first season where MS Dhoni failed to play a single game for the franchise.
Dhoni stayed on the bench despite travelling with the CSK squad on most occasions, raising concerns over his IPL future. According to reports, the 45-year-old Ranchi cricketer was set to part ways with the five-time winners at the end of the IPL 2026, but in the most recent development, CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan has provided a significant update on his future.
Kasi Viswanathan claims that because Dhoni prefers to make his own decisions, the team has not yet addressed anything with him. But as a member of the team management, Kasi stated that he wants Dhoni to stay a regular at CSK in whatever capacity he chooses.
“We have not discussed anything with MS as of now because, as you know, MS makes his decisions on his own, and we respect that. We would always like to have him as a permanent fixture at CSK in whatever capacity — be it as a player, coach, or mentor. Whatever it is, it depends on what he decides. Every decision depends on him," Kasi Viswanathan told RevSportz.
Regarding CSK's performance in the 2026 IPL, Kasi expressed disappointment at the team's failure to qualify for the playoffs.
“It is a great disappointment for us that we could not qualify for the playoffs. We have had a lot of youngsters coming into the side. We have always known that we need to give them some time to settle down, and we must remain patient. We were very happy when we were qualifying and doing well. At the same time, we have to take it in the right spirit when we do not qualify, while also identifying where we made mistakes, how we can rectify them, and how we can return to winning ways," he said.