MS Dhoni has said he will decide before December whether he plays one more IPL season for Chennai Super Kings, and that the call will depend on his fitness.
Speaking at a healthcare event in Bengaluru on Saturday, the former India captain turned to the doctors present. “Doc, I will have to go through the test. You will have to give me the report, and then before December, I will have to see, you know, how strong I am to maybe play one more season,” he said, according to news agency ANI.
“And if I am not, then, you know, you will have to make sure that you do everything right with me and make sure that this old vintage vehicle is running well on the road. So all the pressure is on them,” he added.
Dhoni sat out the entire 2026 IPL season because of recurring injuries. He is the only active player in the league who was also one of its captains in the inaugural 2008 edition.
CSK have won the IPL five times, all with Dhoni as captain, most recently in 2023. The team has not reached the playoffs since he stepped down as captain in 2024.
The franchise is going through an overhaul ahead of next season. It has parted ways with long-time head coach Stephen Fleming and named former India fast bowler Zaheer Khan as his successor, Sportstar reported.
The CSK management has said before that the decision on Dhoni’s future rests entirely with him.
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- The Tribune: “Before December, I will have to see...”: MS Dhoni reveals his IPL future plan (24 Oct 2026)tribuneindia.com
- Sportstar: M.S. Dhoni: You will know before December if I will play IPL 2027 (25 Oct 2026)sportstar.thehindu.com
- The Indian Express: ‘Before December…’: MS Dhoni on playing for CSK in IPL 2027 (25 Oct 2026)indianexpress.com
- India Today: MS Dhoni IPL future: CSK star expected to make decision on career before December (24 Oct 2026)indiatoday.in