While Chennai Super Kings (CSK) hangs in the balance of not making the playoffs for IPL 2025, veteran skipper MS Dhoni indicates no willingness to bring curtains to his glorious career just yet. The 43-year-old ex-India skipper is still the fulcrum of the CSK team dressing room, still guiding the next generation of players despite the dwindling chances of the team making it to the next stage.
The Current Scenario
CSK, five-time IPL champions, have struggled this season with inconsistent performances and a string of close losses. They currently sit in the bottom half of the table, needing a miracle to qualify for the playoffs.
Yet, amid all this, Dhoni’s calm presence and clutch finishes have kept fans hopeful. He has continued to contribute with the bat lower down the order, rolling back the years with timely cameos and smart captaincy—even in matches where he’s not officially leading the side.
The Future in Focus
Even if a spot in the playoffs is beyond them, CSK seems to be giving the remaining games as an opportunity to blood new talent. Talented youngsters such as Sameer Rizvi, Nishant Sindhu, and Rajvardhan Hangargekar have been provided with chances, and it is said that Dhoni has a big hand in mentoring them in the background.
Insiders indicate that Dhoni continues to be quite hands-on with strategy meetings and training sessions, offering CSK fans hope that though he may well retire as a player, he won’t be going away completely—possibly moving into more full-time mentoring or coaching duties.
Fan Reactions
Social media remains abuzz with the “DefinitelyNot” trend, a tribute to Dhoni’s cryptic response last year to whether he would retire or not. Though nothing concrete has been revealed yet, one thing is amply clear: Dhoni still has unfinished business with CSK—if not on the field, then at least off it.