NEW DELHI: The question on every cricket fan's mind remains unanswered: Will MS Dhoni play in IPL 2027? The legendary wicketkeeper-batter did not feature in a single match during IPL 2026, and his future with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) is shrouded in uncertainty. Following CSK's humiliating 89-run defeat against Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, captain Ruturaj Gaikwad was pressed about Dhoni's potential return next season.
Gaikwad on Dhoni's IPL 2027 Participation
When asked directly, "Will MS Dhoni play next year?", Gaikwad admitted that even the dressing room is unsure. "Obviously you will get to know it next year itself. Even I'll get to know it next year itself. Obviously, it's a hard, hard miss for us definitely. He's someone who can have a fear in the opposition, especially coming in those late overs. Can really change the game, can really change the momentum just by staying at the crease. So, he's someone we definitely missed a lot this season. But, I mean, we never know about next season, but obviously really happy with the guys we had and really happy with the experience they got this year," Gaikwad said.
Dhoni's Injury and Absence
Dhoni was initially ruled out for the first two weeks of the season due to a calf injury. However, the former India captain never returned as the tournament progressed. He also did not travel with the team to Ahmedabad for their final league match against Gujarat Titans. CSK's defeat on Thursday officially ended their playoff hopes and their IPL 2026 campaign. They played 14 matches, winning 6 and losing 8, finishing with 12 points and a net run rate of -0.345.
Match Recap: GT vs CSK
After being put in to bat by CSK, Gujarat Titans posted a massive 229/4, powered by a 125-run opening partnership between Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan. In response, CSK failed to mount a challenge and were bowled out for 140 runs. Gaikwad reflected on the chase: "Yes, also keeping in mind, we wanted to kind of chase whatever the total is as early as possible. And, obviously, when you're chasing 230, anyway in 20 overs, it's not going to be easy with the kind of bowling attack they have. But, just why not give it a shot and just go out there and express. And obviously, credit to them. They outplayed us in all departments."
Gaikwad on Toss Decision
When asked if there was any regret over winning the toss and opting to field first in the crucial match, Gaikwad said: "Not really, actually. I thought it was a bit spongy to start with. Obviously, they got off to a good start. A few errors in our bowling, we didn't execute that well in the powerplay, especially to both of them. And once their openers get going, it's very hard to stop them. So, obviously, even in between, there were phases where we could have capitalised, we could have restricted them to 200. But we failed to do that today."
CSK's Season Summary
CSK's IPL 2026 campaign was a rollercoaster. After three consecutive wins against Mumbai Indians, Delhi Capitals, and Lucknow Super Giants, they lost momentum and suffered three back-to-back defeats against LSG, SRH, and GT, which severely hurt their campaign. Gaikwad acknowledged the challenges: "Well, tough season to start, especially the hat-trick of losses. And then after that, once we found that momentum, obviously we found guys playing at the right spot, the right combination, everything started working. And then obviously, a couple of injuries again and again didn't really help much, especially missing out Jamie and another all-rounder in Ramakrishna Ghosh, kind of unsettled our playing 12. We were always playing a batter short or playing a bowler short in whatever last three games we played. So obviously, not many people actually buy the fact that we are a young team, we are in a transition phase and not a lot of players who are experienced enough, especially in the toughest competition."
- Match 1: Mar 30 - Lost by 8 wkts vs RR
- Match 2: Apr 3 - Lost by 5 wkts vs RCB
- Match 3: Apr 5 - Lost by 43 runs vs DC
- Match 4: Apr 11 - Won by 23 runs vs KKR
- Match 5: Apr 14 - Won by 32 runs vs SRH
- Match 6: Apr 18 - Lost by 10 runs vs MI
- Match 7: Apr 23 - Won by 103 runs vs GT
- Match 8: Apr 26 - Lost by 8 wkts vs MI
- Match 9: May 2 - Won by 8 wkts vs DC
- Match 10: May 5 - Won by 8 wkts vs LSG
- Match 11: May 10 - Won by 5 wkts vs LSG
- Match 12: May 15 - Lost by 7 wkts vs SRH
- Match 13: May 18 - Lost by 5 wkts vs GT
- Match 14: May 21 - Lost by 89 runs vs GT
Despite the disappointing end, Gaikwad remained proud of his team: "But given the fact that more than eight to ten players who have played just below 20 games, it's good to have that exposure for them, especially this year. We got to know what are the areas we are lacking and definitely still to get those six wins on the road and some couple of great wins as well. So really proud of the unit. There were a few games, as I said, when we travelled to Hyderabad, we missed out on chasing 80 in 10 overs and then even last time when we played in Chennai, we could have restricted them to 180. So, a couple of games where we could have just got over the line, failed to do that, but still, very much proud."
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