Chennai Super Kings legend MS Dhoni has kept fans waiting throughout IPL 2026, with the former captain yet to feature in a single match this season — not even as an Impact Substitute. While the franchise has repeatedly cited fitness concerns for his absence, several reports suggest Dhoni has been reluctant to disturb a settled team combination that has kept CSK’s playoff hopes alive.
Now, a fresh report by CricBlogger has claimed that Dhoni could part ways with Chennai Super Kings after the ongoing IPL season. According to the report, the relationship between Dhoni and the franchise management has deteriorated significantly in recent times.
“The relationship between Dhoni and CSK has deteriorated to such an extent that Thala will not be seen in yellow after the 2026 IPL,” a source told CricBlogger.
The report further states that although Dhoni recovered from the calf muscle injury he sustained earlier in the season, he decided against returning to the playing XI to avoid upsetting the team balance. However, injuries may not have been the only reason behind his absence.
According to the report, Dhoni was unhappy with several major decisions taken by the franchise management over the past two years, including transfer-related calls involving Ravindra Jadeja and Sanju Samson, which were allegedly made without consulting him.
The franchise is also believed to have shifted focus towards building a younger squad for the future, something that reportedly widened the gap between Dhoni and the management.
“They ignored Dhoni completely this year, which irked him a lot,” the source added, while claiming that Dhoni remained with the squad throughout the season purely out of respect for the franchise and its players.
For the first time in IPL history, Dhoni has missed almost an entire season. The report also claimed that he had differences with a senior CSK official and often stayed back at the team hotel on match days, allowing younger players to remain involved with the squad during games.
