Will MS Dhoni Play IPL 2025? CSK 'Very Hopeful': MS Dhoni is one of the most loved Indian cricketers ever. The wicketkeeper-batter played his last international game in 2020 but there hardly seems to be a dip in his popularity. Dhoni only plies his trade for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in IPL and that is enough to turn even CSK's away matches into more or less their home matches, such is the support for Dhoni.
However, injury concerns and the management possibly looking at younger players with a mega-auction lined up ahead of IPL 2025 might force Dhoni to think about hanging up his boots. While a section of the fans and a few cricket experts feel Dhoni might have played his last IPL game, there is a fresh twist to the Dhoni retirement saga.
READ HERE | Chennai Weather Forecast, SRH vs RR IPL 2024 Qualifier 2: Rain To Play Spoilsport In Crunch Game?
CSK CEO Kasi Viswanath said that the franchise is hopeful that the man who has led them to each of their five IPL titles will be available next year.
"It is a question (retirement) which only MS (Dhoni) can answer. The question for us, we have always respected the decisions taken by MS, we have left it to him,” Viswanath said when quizzed whether IPL 2024 was Dhoni's last IPL season on the CSK YouTube channel.
"As all of you know, he has always taken his decisions and announced it at the appropriate time. We do expect that we will get a decision as and when he decides. But we are very, very hopeful that he will be available for CSK the next year. That is the view and expectations of the fans and mine," he added.
ALSO READ | MS Dhoni's Retirement Decision Depends On This BCCI Rule Ahead Of IPL 2025 Mega Auction: Report
CSK Fail To Qualify For IPL 2024 Playoffs
Meanwhile, CSK have failed to qualfiy for IPL 2024 Playoffs this season. While they needed to win or prevent Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) from winning against them by a margin of 18 runs or greater in their last league game, CSK eventually ended up losing the match by 27 runs to end the season. Dhoni had handed over the captaincy to Ruturaj Gaikwad before the start of IPL 2024.