The demand for MS Dhoni's retirement has been rekindled by supporters ever since he batted at number nine in an Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 defeat to RCB. Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have retained the 43-year-old, who is currently playing as an uncapped player for the first time in the lucrative league's history.
Although there is no official confirmation that Dhoni is leaving the game, speculation over his retirement has increased following a video from Guwahati that went viral. Despite years of retirement rumors, CSK’s former captain is still playing in this edition of the IPL.
Although fans have expressed strong feelings on Dhoni's career trajectory, especially in the wake of CSK's most recent game against the Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati, the rumors appear to be stoked more by April Fool's Day jokes than by verifiable facts.
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Dhoni hasn't confirmed his retirement intentions in a statement.
"I want to enjoy the game like I did in my early days," Dhoni said in February 2025, hinting at playing for a few more years. The CSK legend is still focused on franchise cricket despite retiring from international cricket in 2019. Even though CSK retained him Rs 4 crore, much less than his prior pay of Rs 12 crore, Dhoni's leadership is still priceless.
Despite fans' speculation that IPL 2025 may be his final season, his presence on the team is seen as a guiding force for new players. In his dismissal of retirement discussions, former cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar emphasized that Dhoni views age as merely a number. As evidence that he still has a lot to give, Gavaskar said that the former India captain is still hitting sixes with ease at 45.
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A video from the CSK vs Rajasthan Royals match in Guwahati sparked rumors regarding Dhoni's farewell. But there isn't any proof that his retirement was connected to any ceremony. Ahead of the CSK vs RR clash at Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati, Dhoni, who has been playing in IPL since 2008, was awarded the 'IPL 18 Memento' by BCCI's newly appointed secretary Devajit Saikia.
What are the fans saying?
A user said, "Dhoni coming at no 9 is lowest point in his career. He should retire gracefully than this embarrassment."
"Dhoni is in IPL because he is a crowd puller, and organisers want to make more money by utilising his brand. He is playing as a tailender to prevent himself from exhaustion as he has to play more IPLs in the future. Wicket-keeping is also a difficult task; he should stay away from it," said another user.
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"Maybe he has lost touch and confidence, he is very much bhism pitamah who is mutely watching the debacle of CSK rather than promoting him to top order. He should have been ready to soak pressure....true lowest point in MSD's career," one more user said.
MS Dhoni is still a major player in IPL 2025, and although there will be ongoing conversations about his future, there is currently no official announcement on his retirement. Fans will have to wait for the man himself to make an announcement.
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