MS Dhoni is yet to play a single game in IPL 2026.
Though he was supposed to be out for the first two weeks, Dhoni has not played even one game or attended any CSK game on the ground. He is often seen batting, keeping, and participating in the fielding drills, but is absent from the dugout or the dressing room.
Fans and experts are wondering if Dhoni will play a single game this season and declare his retirement due to his extended absence.
Michael Clarke, the captain of Australia, who won the 2015 World Cup, emphasized Dhoni's significance even at 44 and stated that detractors shouldn't hope for his retirement.
"MS Dhoni is CSK. If you go watch a CSK game, everyone has the No. 7 yellow jersey on. In terms of sponsors coming to the team, every sponsor would want MS Dhoni to be part of that team. He is significant in India and CSK.
He's still the best wicketkeeper in T20s. He is one of a kind. So, people need to be careful in wishing him to retire,” Clarke said, speaking on his Beyond23 Cricket Podcast.
Further talking about Dhoni’s future after retirement, Clarke speculated that the 2011 World Cup-winning captain would not be deeply involved with cricket and would be missed just like Virat Kohli is missed from Test cricket.
"When he retires, we probably won't see him involved in cricket. He certainly won't commentate. I doubt he will stay on as a mentor with CSK. I can't imagine him going into coaching. I would love to see him stay involved with cricket, because the game will miss him.
I hope people understand that now. Don't wish him well soon, and try to keep him involved in the sport. That's the reason I miss the likes of Virat Kohli in Test cricket. I think Test cricket misses Virat Kohli," he further said.
Clarke said that Dhoni is still good enough to get into the playing XI of any IPL side.
His keeping is good enough to be selected for any team. Because he has been so good for so long, we want him to bat No. 4 and score a hundred every time and be the best keeper in the world while being captain. But he still has a big role around the team, it's just that as he gets older, the responsibilities change," he explained.