Dhoni was signed as an uncapped player ahead of the 2025 edition.
Batting legend Sunil Gavaskar shared his two cents on whether MS Dhoni may have prolonged his Indian Premier League (IPL) career one season too many.
The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) icon, who is about to turn 44 in a couple of months, is currently featuring in his 18th IPL season.
Dhoni was signed as an uncapped player ahead of the 2025 edition. He returned to the leadership role after regular skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad was ruled out midway through the tournament due to injury.
However, Dhoni failed to turn CSK’s fortunes around as the franchise recently became the first team to be knocked out of the playoffs race.
Speaking to Sports Today, Gavaskar stressed that Dhoni prioritises the franchise over personal gain.
"Any player makes decisions not so much for himself, but for what is likely to be good for the team. Whatever decision MSD made about playing this season would have been based solely on what’s best for CSK,” Gavaskar said.
“Any future decision he takes will also depend entirely on what’s good for CSK—not necessarily what’s good for himself.”
CSK have now exited in the league stage in consecutive seasons. Gavaskar offered his perspective on how the five-time champions can bounce back in the next edition.
The 75-year-old highlighted the importance of revamping CSK’s auction approach, particularly with a sharper focus on bowling talent.
"First and foremost, they need to get their auction strategy right. I'm not too sure their scouting team is as effective as those of other franchises. That said, scouts shouldn’t rely solely on leagues like the Jharkhand League, UP League, or others like them. Success in those leagues, often played on smaller grounds against relatively ordinary bowling attacks, doesn’t necessarily translate to higher levels,” Gavaskar said.
“Many players who dominate these leagues with big hitting often fail when they face international-quality bowling. So, if you’re scouting talent, focus more on the bowlers. Strengthening the bowling attack is critical—if your bowlers can restrict the opposition and consistently take wickets, you have a real edge,” he further remarked.
Chennai Super Kings will play for pride when they come up against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday (May 3).