As Chennai Super Kings’ journey came to a heartbreaking end on Thursday at the Narendra Modi Stadium following an 89-run defeat to Gujarat Titans, captain Ruturaj Gaikwad was first asked to reflect on the match and then on a season where CSK almost pulled off a remarkable comeback despite a poor start and injury uncertainty. But before the broadcasters let him go, the burning question everyone wanted answered was finally put forward: will MS Dhoni return next year?
For a question of that magnitude, many expected Gaikwad to end the suspense with a straightforward “yes.” Instead, his response only added further intrigue to the speculation surrounding Dhoni’s future.
Gaikwad admitted he himself had no update on whether Dhoni would return for IPL 2027. “You and I will get to know it next year,” he said.
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The former CSK captain did not play a single match this IPL season. A calf strain before the start of the tournament initially sidelined him, with the management expecting him to recover within two weeks. But as the season progressed, the wait for Dhoni’s return only grew longer.
The build-up to almost every CSK game revolved around the same question — will this finally be the match where Dhoni returns? The speculation intensified as Dhoni remained active during practice sessions at Chepauk and was even spotted wicketkeeping at the Wankhede Stadium ahead of a clash against Mumbai Indians. Yet every time, the answer remained the same: no.
CSK head coach Stephen Fleming later revealed that a second calf injury had further delayed Dhoni’s rehabilitation.
The narrative reached fever pitch last week when Dhoni was seen at an IPL venue on a CSK matchday for the first time this season. And with that appearance coming at Chepauk, emotions ran high among fans — excitement because he could finally return, and fear because it could also mark his final appearance around the franchise as a player. Yet he still did not feature, with reports later suggesting a thumb injury had also kept him unavailable.
There was still speculation over whether Dhoni might feature in CSK’s final league game, but that buzz ended after an ESPNcricinfo report revealed that he had already travelled back home.
Gaikwad admitted Dhoni was a massive miss for CSK this season, especially with the side struggling to find stability in the middle order.
“It’s a hard miss for us. He can come in during those late overs and change the game just by staying at the crease. Never know about next season, but really happy with the guys we have,” he said.
