MS Dhoni, the heartbeat of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) franchise, has reportedly confirmed that he’ll play in the IPL 2026 tournament. The ex-India captain has been associated with CSK since 2008, barring the two years the franchise was banned.  

The wicketkeeper-batter has notified the team of his availability for the 2026 event, according to CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan, who confirmed the news. Notably, MS Dhoni has won the IPL five times for Chennai Super Kings, the most recent win being in IPL 2023.

“MS has told us that he will be available for the next season,” Cricbuzz quoted Kasi Viswanathan as saying.

MS Dhoni captained CSK midway through IPL 2025 after Ruturaj Gaikwad was ruled out due to an elbow injury. But he couldn’t help the franchise, which finished at the bottom of the points table for the first time in their IPL history.

This IPL season will be MS Dhoni’s 19th overall and 17th season with Chennai Super Kings, and he has featured in 248 matches for CSK, scoring 4,865 runs.

Cricbuzz has also reported that CSK and Rajasthan Royals have reestablished talks regarding the trade of Sanju Samson. It is an open secret that Samson wants to part ways with the RR franchise, which he has captained since 2021 and took to the finals in IPL 2022.

CSK has reportedly shown willingness to include a top CSK player in the trade deal. Manoj Badale, the owner of Rajasthan Royals, has established lines of communication with the management of a number of teams, including the Delhi Capitals, CSK, Kolkata Knight Riders, and Lucknow Super Giants.

The team has also asked a notable CSK player if he feels comfortable joining the Rajasthan Royals. In the coming days, the issue should become more apparent.

The mini-auction before the IPL 2026 edition is anticipated to take place in December, and the deadline for announcing retentions is November 15.

(Cricbuzz inputs)