On the eve of the IPL 2024 opener, MS Dhoni stepped down as CSK captain, handing over the leadership baton to Ruturaj Gaikwad, who failed to take the team to the playoffs.

Despite struggling with knee injury, Dhoni’s performance this season was remarkable as he amassed 161 runs at an average of 53.66 and a staggering strike rate of 220.54 across 11 innings.

While many experts believe that it was Dhoni’s last IPL season, the 43-year-old has kept his cards close to chest.

Meanwhile, a video of MS Dhoni has gone viral on social media, where the wicketkeeper-batter could be seen on a badminton court. He hit a jump smash at rocket speed, which suggested that Dhoni is as fit as ever.

The viral clip has also raised the hopes of the fans that they will be able to see their beloved Thala for one more IPL season.

According to reports, MS Dhoni's participation in IPL 2025 season for CSK could depend on number of retentions.

If the number of retained players is five or six, Dhoni could feature in the cash-rich league. In 2018, the franchises were allowed to keep five players for the season, but it was brought down to four in 2022.

The players likely to be retained by the CSK management include Gaikwad, Ravindra Jadeja, Matheesha Pathirana and Shivam Dube.

If more retentions are permitted, Dhoni might turn up in the yellow jersey for another season.