Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been under the retirement scanner for a few seasons now. He was first asked about his future in the sport during the Covid-affected Indian Premier League season in 2020 when commentator Danny Morrison asked if he was going to hang up his gloves. His emphatic “definitely not” response quickly went viral and sparked a meme fest. Every year since then, ‘Thala’ has been under scrutiny every season and IPL 2025 is no different.
Chennai Super Kings have made a rocky start to the season and while the team is plagued with problems across all facets of the game, the biggest talking point surrounding the team’s failures, especially with the bat, has been the 43-year-old’s future with the franchise and the game itself. Speculation on Dhoni’s retirement grew further after his parents were spotted at the M Chidambaram Stadium during CSK’s defeat to Delhi Capitals on Saturday.
Definitely Not again?
Dhoni has broken the silence on this issue during a video podcast with popular YouTuber Raj Shamani. CSK’s talisman directly addressed the retirement rumours by stating he has not yet called time on his career.
“No, not right now. I am still playing the IPL. I have kept it very simple, I take it one year at a time, I am 43, by the time IPL 2025 finishes, I will be 44, so after that I have 10 months to decide if I would play or not. But it is not me deciding, it is my body that decides. So, one year at a time, we will see after that,” Dhoni told Shamani in the podcast.
This isn’t the first time he has addressed the issue, at least not directly, as he touched upon the subject ahead of IPL 2025. At a promotional event, Dhoni said: “I’ve retired since 2019 (international cricket), so it will be quite some time. What I’ve been doing in the meantime is just wanting to enjoy cricket for the last, whatever few years I will be able to play.
“I want to enjoy it, as I did as a child when I was in school. When I lived in a colony, 4 p.m. was sports time, so we’d go and play cricket more often than not. But if the weather doesn’t permit, we used to play football. I want to play with the same kind of innocence (but it is) easier said than done,” he added.
‘Trust is fading’
While Dhoni might have addressed the issue surrounding his retirement, the growing murmurs will continue as CSK’s season has nosedived ever since their opening fixture win over the Mumbai Indians. After the loss to DC, head coach Stephen Fleming was forced to address the issue in the post-match press conference, stating: “I have no idea. I’m just enjoying working with him still. He is still going strong. I don’t even ask [about his future] these days.”
Former cricketer Manoj Tiwari, who is doing commentary work for Cricbuzz, said: “In my opinion, the right time for him to retire was in 2023, right after winning the IPL trophy. He should’ve taken retirement then. Somewhere, I feel that all the fame, respect, and name he earned from cricket over the years — fans are no longer able to see that same spark in the way he’s been playing for the past two years. The trust he built in the hearts of fans, especially Chennai fans, seems to be fading.”
Well known commentator Sanjay Manjrekar feels Dhoni’s presence in the team has nothing to do with cricket. During a pre-match interview on TV, he said: “I continue to maintain my stance this season that Dhoni’s presence in the team is more for brand value than actual cricketing value. That is the decision CSK has taken — he brings in the crowd and has an enormous following.
“If Dhoni chooses to bat at No. 8, he will still contribute some runs. Even at No. 9, 10, or 11, he has the ability. However, I don’t think CSK is relying on Dhoni’s batting contributions; they are expecting the other players to do the job. That said, his wicket-keeping remains top-notch.”
With just 2 points from 4 matches so far in the season, CSK don’t have the luxury of time to improve their season. They will need to quickly recover from their hat trick of losses as they will face Punjab Kings on April 8, 2025.
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