Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra believes that Chennai Super Kings (CSK) legend MS Dhoni shouldn’t play as an impact player in IPL 2026. He suggested that it would be better for Dhoni to hang up his boots rather than play as an impact player.
The Jharkhand cricketer has struggled with injuries in recent seasons, most notably after the IPL 2023 season when he underwent a knee surgery after guiding CSK to their fifth IPL title.
“You don’t run the team from the dugout, it’s not football. In cricket, you need to be on the field, and MS Dhoni’s biggest asset is his ability to read the game better than anybody else. That clarity and conviction are what make him who he is,” Aakash Chopra said on JioStar’s IPL Today Live show.
Chennai Super Kings acquired wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson via a trade deal from Rajasthan Royals (RR), and because of this, Aakash feels that this could be Dhoni’s final IPL season.
MS Dhoni had given up CSK captaincy ahead of the 2024 season, but returned to lead the side in the second half of IPL 2025 in the absence of the injured Ruturaj Gaikwad, who is CSK’s permanent skipper.
‘This could be his last season’: Aakash Chopra on MS Dhoni
“In any case, I feel this could be his last season. He has the heir apparent now. Sanju Samson will eventually don the gloves, it could even happen at some stage during this season.
“Again, conditions apply in terms of MS Dhoni’s fitness and his knee,” he added. “But he cannot be the Impact Player. If he is playing as an Impact Player, I think it’s time for him to hang up his boots,” explained the former opener.
The 44-year-old has played 17 out of the 19 IPL seasons with Chennai Super Kings, leading the side to five IPL titles. He spent the other two seasons, in 2016 and 2017, with the now-defunct Rising Pune Supergiant because of CSK’s ban due to spot-fixing.
The former India captain has played a total of 278 IPL matches, aggregating 5439 runs at an average of 38.30 and a strike-rate of 137.45.
He has registered 24 half-centuries and has a highest score of 84 not out that came against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in IPL 2019. That, however, came in a losing cause as CSK suffered a one-run defeat.
In IPL 2025, the wicketkeeper-batter scored just 196 runs from 14 matches with a highest score of 30 runs.
The Yellow Brigade, who finished in 10th place in IPL 2025, will begin their IPL 2026 campaign with a match against Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Guwahati on 30 March.
