Chennai Super Kings (CSK) icon MS Dhoni has finally broken his silence on his future with the franchise, affirming that his association with CSK will endure long after his playing days are over.
Speaking at a private event earlier this week, the 44-year-old former captain hinted that his connection with the team is far from over—despite ongoing speculation about his retirement.
“Me and CSK, we are together… even for the next 15–20 years,” Dhoni remarked, drawing applause from the audience. “I hope they don’t think I’ll be playing for another 15–20 years! But yeah,” he added with a smile, suggesting he will remain involved in some non-playing role.
Dhoni, who made a mid-season return to captaincy in IPL 2025 after Ruturaj Gaikwad was sidelined with an elbow injury, led CSK through a difficult campaign. The five-time champions finished last in the standings, managing just four wins in 14 matches. Despite this, Dhoni expressed optimism and spoke about the team’s plans to bounce back.
“It’s not about one year or two years. I will always be sitting in a yellow jersey… whether I’ll be playing or not, you know yourself,” he said, subtly addressing retirement rumors without confirming a timeline.
Dhoni acknowledged that the franchise’s recent performances have been below expectations. “Yes, the last couple of years have not been good for us. But what is important is to see the learnings. Yes, we had a bad season. But what went wrong? That was the question for us last year also,” he reflected.
Looking ahead, Dhoni confirmed that Gaikwad is expected to return for the next season and suggested that the upcoming December mini-auction would be an opportunity to strengthen the squad.
“Rutu will be coming back. He got injured. But he will be coming back. So, we are quite sorted now,” he said.
Concluding on a personal note, Dhoni credited CSK and the city of Chennai for shaping both his career and character:
“The relationship over the years has grown. It helped me improve as a person. It helped me improve as a cricketer. CSK just happened. I think it’s good for Chennai. So, today, it’s good for me also.”
