- By Sunny Daud
- Wed, 27 May 2026 10:57 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
MS Dhoni has missed the entire IPL 2026 season after picking up a calf injury while preparing for the tournament. As the season went on, he also suffered a thumb injury, which further ruled him out of action.
Given his age and ongoing fitness concerns, speculation has grown about whether the CSK legend may have quietly stepped away from the IPL and could possibly not feature in the league’s 20th edition.
ALSO READ: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Breaks Plethora Of Records During SRH vs RR IPL 2026 Eliminator Clash
However, after Chennai Super Kings’ early exit, the franchise CEO expressed hope that Dhoni would return next season. While there has been no official confirmation about his participation yet, the franchise remains optimistic that he will keep his earlier promise to fans, that his final IPL match would be played in Chennai.
The CSK franchise, surely, does not believe so. "My understanding is that he will come back next season," Kasi Viswanathan, CSK CEO told Cricbuzz. "We have not spoken to him about this, but we hope he will come back. We also hope he keeps his promise to the CSK fans that he will play his last IPL game in Chennai."
What was MS Dhoni's Promise to fans
Dhoni, who shocked fans with his surprise ODI retirement, promised the fans that his last T20 game would be in Chennai.
“I have always planned my cricket. My last ODI home game was in Ranchi, so hopefully my final T20 game will be in Chennai. Whether it happens next year or after five years, we don’t know,” Dhoni had said.
CSK's performance in IPL 2026
Chennai Super Kings had a forgettable IPL 2026 season, officially crashing out of the playoff race after a string of inconsistent performances. The five-time champions wrapped up their campaign with a crushing 89-run defeat to the Gujarat Titans.
CSK managed to win just six of their 14 matches and eventually finished eighth on the points table, marking a forgettable campaign for one of the league’s most successful franchises.