Legendary West Indies cricketer Chris Gayle shared his views on wicketkeeper-batter MS Dhoni’s future with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Gayle stated that the Chennai Super Kings legend should decide when to step away, adding that he has earned the right to keep playing.
The Jharkhand cricketer announced his retirement from international cricket in August 2020. However, he has been active in the IPL with the Chennai Super Kings. Dhoni took over the captaincy of CSK in the 2025 season after Ruturaj Gaikwad’s injury forced a change in leadership just five matches in the campaign.
MS Dhoni Struggled With the Bat as Chennai Super Kings Endured Disappointing IPL 2025
Chennai Super Kings endured their most difficult IPL campaign in 2025, including a dismal home record with only one win at Chepauk. They finished at the bottom of the points table for the very first time, managing just four victories in 14 matches.
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MS Dhoni had a season to forget with the bat, scoring 196 runs in 13 innings at an average of 24.50 and a strike rate of 135.17. The right-handed batter even dropped down to No. 8 in the batting order due to fitness concerns.
Ahead of the season, MS Dhoni was retained by CSK under the new rules that allowed franchises to keep a veteran as an “uncapped player” for ₹4 crore. Having stepped down from captaincy in 2024, he was forced to take charge again in 2025 after Ruturaj Gaikwad’s injury.
Overall, Dhoni has scored 5,439 runs in 278 games at an average of 38.80 with a strike rate of 137.45, including 24 fifties. He has led CSK to five IPL titles, but the 2025 season was the lowest point in the franchise’s history.
MS Dhoni Should Play as Long as He Wants – Chris Gayle
Speaking on a YouTube podcast with Shubhankar Mishra, Chris Gayle was asked about MS Dhoni’s future in the IPL. Gayle backed the Chennai Super Kings legend to continue playing in 2026, adding that Dhoni has earned the privilege to decide both when to carry on and when to retire.
“Oh, why not? Like I said, he should play as long as he wants to. He earned that. He earned the right to play as long as he wants to, and he earned the right to walk away when he wants to as well. Yeah, absolutely.”
Universe Boss Chris Gayle Shines Across All Formats
Chris Gayle scored 10,480 runs from 301 ODI matches at an average of 37.7 and a strike rate of 87.20, including 25 centuries and 54 fifties. The Jamaican opener played 103 Test matches, scoring 7,214 runs with 15 centuries and 37 half-centuries.
Gayle played in the IPL between 2009 and 2021. He played for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), and Punjab Kings (PBKS). The southpaw scored 4,965 runs in 142 matches, including six centuries. He holds the record for the most sixes in IPL history with 357.
The left-handed batter played his last IPL outing in 2021 with the Punjab Kings. He also last played for the West Indies in the same year. The 45-year-old was one of the most destructive batters across formats.
