IPL 2026 might be Dhoni’s last season says Irfan Pathan:Sanju Samson’s move to CSK a ‘blockbuster’ one, says Piyush Chawla

Irfan Pathan reckons that IPL 2026 might just be the last time that fans will see MS Dhoni in the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) jersey. The legendary wicketkeeper-batter will be heading into his 17th season with the CSK, having been retained as an ‘uncapped’ player prior to the IPL 2026 auction. CSK have a point to prove after finishing bottom of the points table last season, with just four wins in 14 matches. The five-time champions have assembled a strong squad and look like a formidable outfit. ‘IPL 2026 might be MS Dhoni’s last season’ Dhoni, for long, has been the face of the Chennai Super Kings. It has been under his captaincy that CSK have won all five of their IPL titles so far. At 44 years of age, there have been a lot of speculations on Dhoni’s future in the IPL and Pathan, his former teammate, feels that this is going to be his last. “CSK is incomplete without MS Dhoni. This season might be the last time we see him in the yellow jersey and it’s tough to imagine CSK and the IPL without him,” Pathan said, while speaking on a TV show. Adding that Dhoni would play a key role in this season, Pathan also went on to shed uncertainty on the two-time World Cup-winning captain playing all games. “This season, Dhoni will play an important role in bringing everyone together. I’m not sure how many games he will play. But his presence in the dressing room will help a lot. Sanju will benefit because he will be part of the leadership group as well. Ruturaj Gaikwad is the leader. But as a group, two or three guys are being groomed for the future. That is where MS Dhoni comes in. I hope he makes a difference,” he added. Sanju Samson’s move to CSK a ‘blockbuster’, says Chawla One of the biggest trade moves in IPL history took place right before the auction when Sanju Samson joined Chennai Super Kings from Rajasthan Royals, with Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran going the other way. Samson would enter IPL 2026 on the back of a spectacular T20 World Cup campaign, where he won the Player of the Tournament award. “Sanju Samson is a match-winner in himself. He proved his doubters wrong with three back-to-back impactful knocks against West Indies, England and New Zealand in the T20 World Cup. CSK will be very happy with his form because Samson has peaked right before the start of the IPL,” said Piyush Chawla. “With Samson in, their opening problems will finally be solved. They need that experienced opener alongside Ayush Mhatre. Samson’s trade move to CSK is going to be a blockbuster one,” he added. Pathan went on to add that Samson’s move to CSK would allow Ruturaj Gaikwad to grow as a leader. He also spoke of CSK trying to fill the void left by Jadeja. “Jadeja became the player he is over time. When he played for Rajasthan Royals in the first two IPL seasons, Shane Warne gave him confidence and told him he was a future superstar. That gave him a lot of belief. With time, he reached the level he is at today. Then he joined CSK in 2012.The same can happen with Prashant Veer. Playing for CSK at a young age gives you a lot of cushion. If you are in the starting XI from the beginning of the season, you will play most games. That is a big plus,” he said.