Former India cricketer Robin Uthappa reckons MS Dhoni still has the desire to play for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) despite his underwhelming display in the IPL 2025 season.

Dhoni endured a forgettable campaign, scoring 196 runs at an average of 24.50 and a strike rate of 135.17, with the highest score of 30 not out to his name.

His poor show coincided with CSK’s dismal run. The five-time champions ended the season at the bottom of the table, with just four wins from 14 matches.

"It all depends on his health and how he feels. You have to understand that he really wants to play - the fire still burns. From what he said during the post-match presentation, it's clear that the fire still burns to win championships, to play out there in the middle. Now it's about going back and working on his body to bring it to the level he wants for the next IPL. If that doesn't happen, he'll call it before the mini-auction. If not, you'll see a tweet or an Instagram post," Uthappa said on JioStar.

CSK, however, finished their IPL 2025 campaign with a thumping 83-run victory over table-toppers Gujarat Titans (GT) at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday (May 25).

After the win, Dhoni addressed a big question on his IPL future while speaking at the post-match presentation.

The veteran wicketkeeper, who will turn 44 in July, remained non-committal on a possible return in 2026, saying that he has the “luxury of timing” to decide his future.

“It depends. I have 4-5 months to decide, there's no hurry. Need to keep the body fit. You have to be at your best. If cricketers start retiring for their performance, some of them will retire at 22. Will go back to Ranchi, enjoy a few bike rides. I am not saying I am done, not saying I am coming back either. I have the luxury of timing. Will think about it and then decide,” Dhoni said at the post-match presentation.