MS Dhoni has given an indication that the end of his iconic IPL career might be near. Following Chennai Super Kings’ thrilling two-wicket victory over Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens on Wednesday, the CSK skipper addressed growing speculation around his retirement, stating that he will take time to assess his physical fitness before making a final decision.
“There is no escaping the fact (that I am in the last phase of my career). After this IPL gets over, I have to work hard for another 6-8 months to see if my body can take this pressure. Nothing to decide now but the love and affection I have seen is excellent,” .The 43-year-old underwent knee surgery last year and has since been managing his playing time carefully in IPL 2025.
MS Dhoni on CSK's underwhelming performance
CSK became the first team to be officially knocked out of the IPL 2025 playoff race. Despite the disappointing campaign, Dhoni has continued to be the center of fan attention, drawing massive crowds at every venue, including Eden Gardens, where the support for him and the franchise remained immense.
“That is the love and affection I have gotten throughout. Not to forget I am 42 (43). I have played a long time. A lot of them don't know when it is going to be my last time, so they want to come and see me play,” he added.
Reflecting on CSK’s underwhelming season, Dhoni acknowledged the need to look forward and evaluate the team's future setup.
“There were a few things that did not go our way. You could get emotional about it, talk about the pride factor but you have to be practical about it," he explained. "Just concentrating about where the 25 players could fit. Want to be competitive but you also want answers which batter can fit where, which bowler can bowl where, according to the conditions and all. When we started, hardly anyone was scoring."
