End of MS Dhoni era in CSK? Ruturaj Gaikwad has no answers after IPL 2026

Ruturaj Gaikwad couldn’t give Chennai Super Kings fans the answer they desperately wanted after yet another disappointing IPL season ended for the franchise. Asked about the possibility of MS Dhoni leaving after IPL 2026, the CSK skipper admitted that even he doesn’t know what will happen next for the legendary wicketkeeper-batsman.

CSK’s season collapsed after an 89-run defeat against Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad on May 21, a loss that officially knocked them out of the playoffs and confirmed another forgettable campaign for the five-time champions.

Gaikwad once again walked off the field with more questions than answers after CSK’s IPL 2026 campaign officially ended in disappointment. But like almost every recent CSK season, the biggest question once again revolved around MS Dhoni and whether Indian cricket would finally see the legendary wicketkeeper-batsman play his last game in yellow.

GT vs CSK, IPL 2026: MAIN | SCORECARD

“You and I will know next year,” Gaikwad said at the post-match presentation.

“It’s a tough mistake. He’s someone who puts fear into the opposition. He’s someone who can change the momentum just by staying in the crease.”

Gaikwad also reflected on the impact Dhoni’s absence had on the team during the season.

“I don’t know about next season, but I’m happy for the guys who played for us and the experience they got this year,” he added.

WILL MS DHONI LEAVE AFTER IPL 2026?

There is no official confirmation yet. But for the first time, the possibility actually seems real.

After IPL 2025, Dhoni publicly hinted that he would continue playing. This season, however, everything seemed completely different.

Injuries never allowed him to return. The wait for his comeback grew longer every week. And finally, the speculation surrounding the retirement almost became bigger than the CSK campaign itself.

For Chennai fans, this uncertainty has made IPL 2026 unusually emotional.

Dhoni has been the one enduring constant in almost every era of CSK – trophies, rebuilds, suspensions, comeback title wins, transitions and collapses.

This year, even that certainty has disappeared.

And perhaps the biggest reason why the question of retirement now seems more difficult is that CSK themselves are clearly entering a transition phase.

The franchise has already fully handed over the leadership responsibility to Ruturaji Gaikwad, while younger players like Dewald Brevis, Shaik Rasheed and others have been given bigger roles during the season.

Even Dhoni’s presence in the team increasingly looked more like a mentor than a player.

Still, until Dhoni himself officially says the words, no one at CSK seems really ready to believe it’s over.

END OF ANOTHER DISAPPOINTING SEASON FOR ČSK

The bigger problem in cricket for Chennai is that the franchise’s problems are no longer temporary.

Defeat against Gujarat Titans confirmed CSK’s elimination from IPL 2026, leaving them stuck on just 12 points from 14 matches with a negative net rate.

More importantly, it marked the third season in a row that Chennai failed to qualify for the playoffs.

Injuries played a major role in CSK’s many shortcomings this year.

Dhoni missed the season completely. Several combinations never quite settled. CSK’s middle order remained inconsistent throughout the tournament while their bowling attack struggled in key stretches.

Even going into the final week, Chennai still needed an unlikely combination of results from other teams to stay alive in the play-off race after their defeat against Sunrisers Hyderabad.

And while Chennai will no doubt focus on rebuilding ahead of IPL 2027, one question will continue to haunt the franchise in the coming months.

Will this be one last MS Dhoni season in yellow, or has the IPL quietly seen the end of one of its greatest eras?

– The end

Issued by:

Debodinna Chakraborty

Published on:

21 May 2026 23:46 IST

‘, e.appendChild